image: This is a view from the island bird sanctuary Tiritiri Matangi Island, towards North Island (Auckland city in middle distance). The island has high bird densities, and good pollination, but only 4 km away on the adjacent North Island the pollination mutualism is failing because of mammalian predators. This image relates to an article that appeared in the Feb. 3, 2011, issue of Science Express, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. Sandra Anderson of the University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand, and colleagues was titled, "Cascading Effects of Bird Functional Extinction Reduce Pollination and Plant Density." view more
Credit: Dave Kelly, University of Canterbury