According to study, large animals’ extinction from tropical forests can possibly make climate change worse because such animals are essential in dispersing dense wood trees which are more successful at carbon dioxide capturing and storing from the atmosphere as compared to tinier trees.

The findings have shown that fall in the numbers of fruit-eating animals like big tapirs, primates and toucans may have a knock-on effect for tree species.

One of the researchers, Carlos Peres, from the University of East Anglia in England, said, “We show that the decline and extinction of large animals will, over time, induce a decline in large hardwood trees. This in turn negatively affects the capacity of tropical forests to store carbon and therefore their potential to counter climate change”.

The researchers explained that large animals disperse big seeded plant species, which are generally linked to big trees and high wood density, and are quite effective at capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in comparison to tinier trees.

The researchers analyzed data from over 2,000 tree species in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, and over 800 animal species. The team of researchers discovered that frugivores, which are not set on by hunters, like bats, small birds and marsupials, can just disperse small seeds, which are linked to small trees.

On the other hand, big heavy-wooded trees, which have the capability to capture and store large amounts of carbon, are linked to larger seeds. Furthermore, only large animals can disperse them.