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Predicting cascading extinctions and efficient restoration strategies in plant-pollinator networks via generalized positive feedback loops. Sci Rep 2023; 13:902. [PMID: 36650198 PMCID: PMC9845316 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27525-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The extinction of a species in a plant-pollinator mutualistic community can cause cascading effects and lead to major biodiversity loss. The ecologically important task of predicting the severity of the cascading effects is made challenging by the complex network of interactions among the species. In this work, we analyze an ensemble of models of communities of plant and pollinator species. These models describe the mutualistic inter-species interactions by Boolean threshold functions. We show that identifying generalized positive feedback loops can help pinpoint the species whose extinction leads to catastrophic and substantial damage to the whole community. We compare these results with the damage percentage caused by the loss of species identified as important by previously studied structural measures and show that positive feedback loops and the information gained from them can identify certain crucial species that the other measures fail to find. We also suggest mitigation measures for two specific purposes: (1) prevent the damage to the community by protecting a subset of the species, and (2) restore the community after the damage by restoring a subset of species. Our analyses indicate that the generalized positive feedback loops predict the most efficient strategies to achieve these purposes. The correct identification of species in each category has important implications for conservation efforts and developing community management strategies.
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2
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Andrews CE, Anderson SH, van der Walt K, Thorogood R, Ewen JG. Evaluating the success of functional restoration after reintroduction of a lost avian pollinator. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13892. [PMID: 35171538 PMCID: PMC9545379 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Conservation translocation is a common method for species recovery, for which one increasingly frequent objective is restoring lost ecological functions to promote ecosystem recovery. However, few conservation translocation programs explicitly state or monitor function as an objective, limiting the ability to test assumptions, learn from past efforts, and improve management. We evaluated whether translocations of hihi (Notiomystis cincta), a threatened New Zealand passerine, achieved their implicit objective of restoring lost pollination function. Through a pollinator-exclusion experiment, we quantified, with log response ratios (lnR), the effects of birds on fruit set and seed quality in hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium), a native flowering shrub. We isolated the contributions of hihi by making comparisons across sites with and without hihi. Birds improved fruit set more at sites without hihi (lnR = 1.27) than sites with hihi (lnR = 0.50), suggesting other avian pollinators compensated for and even exceeded hihi contributions to fruit set. Although birds improved seed germination only at hihi sites (lnR = 0.22-0.41), plants at sites without hihi had germination rates similar to hihi sites because they produced 26% more filled seeds, regardless of pollination condition. Therefore, although our results showed hihi improved seed quality, they also highlighted the complexity of ecological functions. When an important species is lost, ecosystems may be able to achieve similar function through different means. Our results underscore the importance of stating and monitoring the ecological benefits of conservation translocations when functional restoration is a motivation to ensure these programs are achieving their objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E. Andrews
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Karin van der Walt
- Ōtari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush ReserveWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Rose Thorogood
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Research Program in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - John G. Ewen
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of LondonLondonUK
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Campbell C, Russo L, Albert R, Buckling A, Shea K. Whole community invasions and the integration of novel ecosystems. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010151. [PMID: 35671270 PMCID: PMC9173635 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of invasion by a single non-native species on the function and structure of ecological communities can be significant, and the effects can become more drastic–and harder to predict–when multiple species invade as a group. Here we modify a dynamic Boolean model of plant-pollinator community assembly to consider the invasion of native communities by multiple invasive species that are selected either randomly or such that the invaders constitute a stable community. We show that, compared to random invasion, whole community invasion leads to final stable communities (where the initial process of species turnover has given way to a static or near-static set of species in the community) including both native and non-native species that are larger, more likely to retain native species, and which experience smaller changes to the topological measures of nestedness and connectance. We consider the relationship between the prevalence of mutualistic interactions among native and invasive species in the final stable communities and demonstrate that mutualistic interactions may act as a buffer against significant disruptions to the native community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Campbell
- Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Physics, University of Mount Union, Alliance, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Laura Russo
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Réka Albert
- Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Angus Buckling
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Katriona Shea
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Brief Pollination Assessment of a Critically Endangered Food-Deceptive Orchid (Cypripedium guttatum) Using a Network Approach. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11060798. [PMID: 35336680 PMCID: PMC8950287 DOI: 10.3390/plants11060798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The translocation of orchids (Orchidaceae) cannot be successful if one is unaware of their effective pollinators and plant–pollinator interactions. Cypripedium guttatum is a generalized food-deceptive orchid, which is highly threatened in the Republic of Korea, thus, requiring immediate translocation actions. Although effective pollinators of the orchid are well known in China, little is known about the pollinators in the Republic of Korea and the ecological context in which the orchid can be successfully pollinated. To briefly assess the pollination of C. guttatum prior to translocation, we conducted a one-month survey of general pollination and the community-wide plant–pollinator network properties. Over 21 h of observation, we found that an effective pollinator of the orchid was the sweat bee Lasioglossum virideglaucum. The network was significantly specialized and modular, but not significantly nested. L. virideglaucum (pollinator) and Arabis gemmifera (plant) were determined to be keystone species, based on network metrics. A total of six network modules were identified and the flower colors of the plant species belonging to the C. guttatum module were purple, white, and yellow. After comparing the daily network patterns, we found that pollination of the orchid was accomplished when various flowering plant species bloom, and the nestedness value was high. This study revealed that high plant and pollinator richness could increase the chance that the deceptive orchid would be pollinated. Our study suggests that the network properties of this food-deceptive orchid community could provide useful insight into understanding the ecologically suitable habitat for the translocation of the highly threatened orchid species C. guttatum.
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Sabatino M, Rovere A, Meli P. Restoring pollination is not only about pollinators: Combining ecological and practical information to identify priority plant species for restoration of the Pampa grasslands of Argentina. J Nat Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Cariveau DP, Bruninga-Socolar B, Pardee GL. A review of the challenges and opportunities for restoring animal-mediated pollination of native plants. Emerg Top Life Sci 2020; 4:ETLS20190073. [PMID: 32556128 PMCID: PMC7326338 DOI: 10.1042/etls20190073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Ecological restoration is increasingly implemented to reverse habitat loss and concomitant declines in biological diversity. Typically, restoration success is evaluated by measuring the abundance and/or diversity of a single taxon. However, for a restoration to be successful and persistent, critical ecosystem functions such as animal-mediated pollination must be maintained. In this review, we focus on three aspects of pollination within ecological restorations. First, we address the need to measure pollination directly in restored habitats. Proxies such as pollinator abundance and richness do not always accurately assess pollination function. Pollen supplementation experiments, pollen deposition studies, and pollen transport networks are more robust methods for assessing pollination function within restorations. Second, we highlight how local-scale management and landscape-level factors may influence pollination within restorations. Local-scale management actions such as prescribed fire and removal of non-native species can have large impacts on pollinator communities and ultimately on pollination services. In addition, landscape context including proximity and connectivity to natural habitats may be an important factor for land managers and conservation practitioners to consider to maximize restoration success. Third, as climate change is predicted to be a primary driver of future loss in biodiversity, we discuss the potential effects climate change may have on animal-mediated pollination within restorations. An increased mechanistic understanding of how climate change affects pollination and incorporation of climate change predictions will help practitioners design stable, functioning restorations into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Cariveau
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A
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Adaptive Networks for Restoration Ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2018; 33:664-675. [PMID: 30005837 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The urgent need to restore biodiversity and ecosystem functioning challenges ecology as a predictive science. Restoration ecology would benefit from evolutionary principles embedded within a framework that combines adaptive network models and the phylogenetic structure of ecological interactions. Adaptive network models capture feedbacks between trait evolution, species abundances, and interactions to explain resilience and functional diversity within communities. Phylogenetically-structured network data, increasingly available via next-generation sequencing, inform constraints affecting interaction rewiring. Combined, these approaches can predict eco-evolutionary changes triggered by community manipulation practices, such as translocations and eradications of invasive species. We discuss theoretical and methodological opportunities to bridge network models and data from restoration projects and propose how this can be applied to the functional restoration of ecological interactions.
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Campbell C, Aucott S, Ruths J, Ruths D, Shea K, Albert R. Correlations in the degeneracy of structurally controllable topologies for networks. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46251. [PMID: 28401952 PMCID: PMC5388858 DOI: 10.1038/srep46251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Many dynamic systems display complex emergent phenomena. By directly controlling a subset of system components (nodes) via external intervention it is possible to indirectly control every other component in the system. When the system is linear or can be approximated sufficiently well by a linear model, methods exist to identify the number and connectivity of a minimum set of external inputs (constituting a so-called minimal control topology, or MCT). In general, many MCTs exist for a given network; here we characterize a broad ensemble of empirical networks in terms of the fraction of nodes and edges that are always, sometimes, or never a part of an MCT. We study the relationships between the measures, and apply the methodology to the T-LGL leukemia signaling network as a case study. We show that the properties introduced in this report can be used to predict key components of biological networks, with potentially broad applications to network medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Campbell
- Department of Physics, Washington College, Chestertown, MD 21620, USA
| | - Steven Aucott
- Department of Physics, Washington College, Chestertown, MD 21620, USA
| | - Justin Ruths
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - Derek Ruths
- Department of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Katriona Shea
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Réka Albert
- Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Campbell C, Yang S, Albert R, Shea K. Plant-pollinator community network response to species invasion depends on both invader and community characteristics. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.02039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin Campbell
- Dept of Biology; Pennsylvania State Univ.; 208 Mueller Laboratory University Park PA 16802 USA
- Dept of Physics; Pennsylvania State Univ.; 122 Davey Laboratory University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Suann Yang
- Biology Department; Presbyterian College; Clinton SC 29325 USA
| | - Réka Albert
- Dept of Biology; Pennsylvania State Univ.; 208 Mueller Laboratory University Park PA 16802 USA
- Dept of Physics; Pennsylvania State Univ.; 122 Davey Laboratory University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - Katriona Shea
- Dept of Biology; Pennsylvania State Univ.; 208 Mueller Laboratory University Park PA 16802 USA
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