1
|
Martins LP, Garcia-Callejas D, Lai HR, Wootton KL, Tylianakis JM. The propagation of disturbances in ecological networks. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:558-570. [PMID: 38402007 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Despite the development of network science, we lack clear heuristics for how far different disturbance types propagate within and across species interaction networks. We discuss the mechanisms of disturbance propagation in ecological networks, and propose that disturbances can be categorized into structural, functional, and transmission types according to their spread and effect on network structure and functioning. We describe the properties of species and their interaction networks and metanetworks that determine the indirect, spatial, and temporal extent of propagation. We argue that the sampling scale of ecological studies may have impeded predictions regarding the rate and extent that a disturbance spreads, and discuss directions to help ecologists to move towards a predictive understanding of the propagation of impacts across interacting communities and ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas P Martins
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand.
| | - David Garcia-Callejas
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Hao Ran Lai
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Kate L Wootton
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Jason M Tylianakis
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Durand-Bessart C, Akomo-Okoue EF, Ebang Ella GW, Porcher V, Bitome Essono PY, Bretagnolle F, Fontaine C. Local people enhance our understanding of Afrotropical frugivory networks. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1541-1548.e3. [PMID: 38452760 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Afrotropical forests are undergoing massive change caused by defaunation, i.e., the human-induced decline of animal species,1 most of which are frugivorous species.1,2,3 Frugivores' depletion and their functional disappearance are expected to cascade on tree dispersal and forest structure via interaction networks,4,5,6,7 as the majority of tree species depend on frugivores for their dispersal.8 However, frugivory networks remain largely unknown, especially in Afrotropical areas,9,10,11 which considerably limits our ability to predict changes in forest dynamics and structures using network analysis.12,13,14,15 While the academic workforce may be inadequate to fill this knowledge gap before it is too late, local ecological knowledge appears as a valuable source of ecological information and could significantly contribute to our understanding of such crucial interactions for tropical forests.16,17,18,19,20,21 To investigate potential synergies between local ecological knowledge and academic knowledge,20,21 we compiled frugivory interactions linking 286 trees to 100 frugivore species from the academic literature and local ecological knowledge coming from interviews of Gabonese forest-dependent people. Here, we showed that local ecological knowledge on frugivory interactions was substantial and original, with 39% of these interactions unknown by science. We demonstrated that combining academic and local ecological knowledge affects the functional relationship linking frugivore body mass to seed size, as well as the network structure. Our results highlight the benefits of bridging knowledge systems between academics and local communities for a better understanding of the functioning and response to perturbations of Afrotropical forests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Durand-Bessart
- Biogeosciences, UMR 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche Comte-CNRS, 21000 Dijon, France; Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, CESCO, UMR 7204, MNHN-CNRS-SU, 75005 Paris, France; SENS, IRD, CIRAD, 34000 Montpellier, France.
| | | | | | - Vincent Porcher
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain; SENS, IRD, CIRAD, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | | | - François Bretagnolle
- Biogeosciences, UMR 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche Comte-CNRS, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Colin Fontaine
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, CESCO, UMR 7204, MNHN-CNRS-SU, 75005 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Alcantara DMC, Ikeda P, Souza CS, de Mello VVC, Torres JM, Lourenço EC, Bassini-Silva R, Herrera HM, Machado RZ, Barros-Battesti DM, Graciolli G, André MR. Multilayer Networks Assisting to Untangle Direct and Indirect Pathogen Transmission in Bats. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02108-3. [PMID: 36166070 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02108-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The importance of species that connect the different types of interactions is becoming increasingly recognized, and this role may be related to specific attributes of these species. Multilayer networks have two or more layers, which represent different types of interactions, for example, between different parasites and hosts that are nonetheless connected. The understanding of the ecological relationship between bats, ectoparasites, and vector-borne bacteria could shed some light on the complex transmission cycles of these pathogens. In this study, we investigated a multilayer network in Brazil formed by interactions between bat-bacteria, bat-ectoparasite, and ectoparasite-bacteria, and asked how these interactions overlap considering different groups and transmission modes. The multilayer network was composed of 31 nodes (12 bat species, 14 ectoparasite species, and five bacteria genera) and 334 links, distributed over three layers. The multilayer network has low modularity and shows a core-periphery organization, that is, composed of a few generalist species with many interactions and many specialist species participating in few interactions in the multilayer network. The three layers were needed to accurately describe the multilayer structure, while aggregation leads to loss of information. Our findings also demonstrated that the multilayer network is influenced by a specific set of species that can easily be connected to the behavior, life cycle, and type of existing interactions of these species. Four bat species (Artibeus lituratus, A. planirostris, Phyllostomus discolor, and Platyrrhinus lineatus), one ectoparasite species (Steatonyssus) and three bacteria genera (Ehrlichia, hemotropic Mycoplasma and Neorickettsia) are the most important species for the multilayer network structure. Finally, our study brings an ecological perspective under a multilayer network approach on the interactions between bats, ectoparasites, and pathogens. By using a multilayer approach (different types of interactions), it was possible to better understand these different ecological interactions and how they affect each other, advancing our knowledge on the role of bats and ectoparasites as potential pathogen vectors and reservoirs, as well as the modes of transmission of these pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Priscila Ikeda
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Camila Silveira Souza
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica Aplicada, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil
| | - Victória Valente Califre de Mello
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Jaire Marinho Torres
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Elizabete Captivo Lourenço
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Heitor Miraglia Herrera
- Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Graciolli
- Setor de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP), Campus de Jaboticabal, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, CEP: 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Genes L, Losapio G, Donatti CI, Guimarães PR, Dirzo R. Frugivore Population Biomass, but Not Density, Affect Seed Dispersal Interactions in a Hyper-Diverse Frugivory Network. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.794723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutualistic interactions are regulated by plant and animal traits, including animal body size and population density. In seed dispersal networks, frugivore body size determines the interaction outcome, and species population density determines interaction probability through encounter rates. To date, most studies examining the relative role of body size and population density in seed dispersal networks have examined animal guilds encompassing a narrow range of body sizes (e.g., birds only). Given non-random, body-size dependent defaunation, understanding the relative role of these traits is important to predict and, ideally, mitigate the effects of defaunation. We analyzed a hyper-diverse seed dispersal network composed of birds and mammals that cover a wide range of body sizes and population densities in the Brazilian Pantanal. Animal density per se did not significantly explain interaction patterns. Instead, population biomass, which represents the combination of body size and population density, was the most important predictor for most interaction network metrics. Population biomass was strongly correlated with body size, but not with density. Thus, larger frugivore species dispersed more plant species and were involved in more unique pairwise interactions than smaller species. Moreover, species with larger population biomass had the strongest influence (i.e., as indicated by measures of centrality) on other species in the network and were more generalist, interacting with a broader set of species, compared to species with lower population biomass. We posit that the increased abundance of small-sized frugivores resulting from the pervasive defaunation of large vertebrates would not compensate for the loss-of-function of the latter and the inherent disruption of seed dispersal networks.
Collapse
|
5
|
Kiffner C, Paciência FMD, Henrich G, Kaitila R, Chuma IS, Mbaryo P, Knauf S, Kioko J, Zinner D. Road-based line distance surveys overestimate densities of olive baboons. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263314. [PMID: 35108346 PMCID: PMC8809570 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating population density and population dynamics is essential for understanding primate ecology and relies on robust methods. While distance sampling theory provides a robust framework for estimating animal abundance, implementing a constrained, non-systematic transect design could bias density estimates. Here, we assessed potential bias associated with line distance sampling surveys along roads based on a case study with olive baboons (Papio anubis) in Lake Manyara National Park (Tanzania). This was achieved by comparing density estimates of olive baboons derived from road transect surveys with density estimates derived from estimating the maximum number of social groups (via sleeping site counts) and multiplying this metric with the estimated average size of social groups. From 2011 to 2019, we counted olive baboons along road transects, estimated survey-specific densities in a distance sampling framework, and assessed temporal population trends. Based on the fitted half-normal detection function, the mean density was 132.5 baboons km-2 (95% CI: 110.4–159.2), however, detection models did not fit well due to heaping of sightings on and near the transects. Density estimates were associated with relatively wide confidence intervals that were mostly caused by encounter rate variance. Based on a generalized additive model, baboon densities were greater during the rainy seasons compared to the dry seasons but did not show marked annual trends. Compared to estimates derived from the alternative method (sleeping site survey), distance sampling along road transects overestimated the abundance of baboons more than threefold. Possibly, this overestimation was caused by the preferred use of roads by baboons. While being a frequently used technique (due to its relative ease of implementation compared to spatially randomized survey techniques), inferring population density of baboons (and possibly other species) based on road transects should be treated with caution. Beyond these methodological concerns and considering only the most conservative estimates, baboon densities in LMNP are among the highest across their geographic distribution range.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kiffner
- The School For Field Studies, Center For Wildlife Management Studies, Karatu, Tanzania
- Department of Human Behavior, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Ecology and Culture, Leipzig, Germany
- Junior Research Group Human‐Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Filipa M. D. Paciência
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Germany Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Grace Henrich
- Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York State, United States of America
| | - Rehema Kaitila
- Tanzania National Parks, Conservation Science Unit (Veterinary), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Idrissa S. Chuma
- Tanzania National Parks, Conservation Science Unit (Veterinary), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Pay Mbaryo
- Tanzania National Parks, Conservation Science Unit (Veterinary), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Institute of International Animal Health / One Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
- Infection Biology Unit, Germany Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - John Kioko
- The School For Field Studies, Center For Wildlife Management Studies, Karatu, Tanzania
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Germany Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fuzessy L, Sobral G, Carreira D, Rother DC, Barbosa G, Landis M, Galetti M, Dallas T, Cardoso Cláudio V, Culot L, Jordano P. Functional roles of frugivores and plants shape hyper‐diverse mutualistic interactions under two antagonistic conservation scenarios. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisieux Fuzessy
- São Paulo State University UNESP Rio Claro SP Brazil
- Estación Biológica de Doñana EBD‐CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | | | - Daiane Carreira
- University of São Paulo Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" Esalq USP Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | - Débora Cristina Rother
- University of São Paulo USP São Paulo SP Brazil
- University of São Paulo Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" Esalq USP Piracicaba SP Brazil
| | | | | | - Mauro Galetti
- São Paulo State University UNESP Rio Claro SP Brazil
- Department of Biology University of Miami Coral Gables Florida USA
| | - Tad Dallas
- Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yan C. Nestedness interacts with subnetwork structures and interconnection patterns to affect community dynamics in ecological multilayer networks. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:738-751. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro‐ecosystems Institute of Innovation Ecology & College of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Lanzhou 730000 China
- Yuzhong Mountain Ecosystems Observation and Research Station Lanzhou University Lanzhou 730000 China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mendes SB, Timóteo S, Loureiro J, Castro S. The impact of habitat loss on pollination services for a threatened dune endemic plant. Oecologia 2021; 198:279-293. [PMID: 34775515 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05070-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Habitat loss is currently a major threat to biodiversity, affecting species interactions, such as plant-pollinator interactions. This is particularly important in self-incompatible plants relying on pollinators to reproduce and sustain their populations. Here, we evaluated how habitat loss affects the pollination system, plant individual-pollinator species interaction network, and plant reproductive fitness of the self-incompatible Jasione maritima var. sabularia, a threatened taxon from dune systems. This plant is a pollinator generalist, visited by 108 species from distinct taxonomic groups. Results suggest that increasing habitat loss led to a significant decline in pollinator richness, increased pollen limitation, and a decrease in reproductive fitness of J. maritima var. sabularia. Visitation rate per individual did not significantly change with available area, indicating that the quality of pollen differed across populations. The topology of the network between J. maritima var. sabularia individuals and its pollinator species did not change, which may be attributed to the stability in the core of pollinator species. This suggests that the lower fitness of plants with increasing habitat degradation may be explained not only by the lower richness of peripheral pollinators but also by the genetic structure of the plant populations, as there is a possible higher transference of less quality pollen by pollinators, ultimately compromising the persistence of plant populations. Our study highlights the need of future studies to integrate the fine details provided by individual-level networks, which will increase our understanding of the pattern of species interactions and its consequences for the fitness of threatened plant populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Beatriz Mendes
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sérgio Timóteo
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - João Loureiro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Castro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ong L, Campos‐Arceiz A, Loke VPW, Pura PB, Tunil CMTB, Din HSA, Angah RB, Amirrudin NAB, Tan WH, Lily O, Solana‐Mena A, McConkey KR. Building ecological networks with local ecological knowledge in hyper‐diverse and logistically challenging ecosystems. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Ong
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences & Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Yunnan China
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Ahimsa Campos‐Arceiz
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences & Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Yunnan China
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Vivienne P. W. Loke
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Param bin Pura
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | | | - Husin Sudin A/L Din
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Rizuan bin Angah
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Nurul Ain binti Amirrudin
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Wei Harn Tan
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences & Center for Integrative Conservation Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Yunnan China
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Ong Lily
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Alicia Solana‐Mena
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| | - Kim R. McConkey
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Quintero E, Isla J, Jordano P. Methodological overview and data‐merging approaches in the study of plant–frugivore interactions. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jorge Isla
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC Sevilla Spain
- Dept Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Univ. de Sevilla Sevilla Spain
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Fortin MJ, Dale MRT, Brimacombe C. Network ecology in dynamic landscapes. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20201889. [PMID: 33906397 PMCID: PMC8080002 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Network ecology is an emerging field that allows researchers to conceptualize and analyse ecological networks and their dynamics. Here, we focus on the dynamics of ecological networks in response to environmental changes. Specifically, we formalize how network topologies constrain the dynamics of ecological systems into a unifying framework in network ecology that we refer to as the 'ecological network dynamics framework'. This framework stresses that the interplay between species interaction networks and the spatial layout of habitat patches is key to identifying which network properties (number and weights of nodes and links) and trade-offs among them are needed to maintain species interactions in dynamic landscapes. We conclude that to be functional, ecological networks should be scaled according to species dispersal abilities in response to landscape heterogeneity. Determining how such effective ecological networks change through space and time can help reveal their complex dynamics in a changing world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Josée Fortin
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark R. T. Dale
- Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chris Brimacombe
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Gray C, Ma A, McLaughlin O, Petit S, Woodward G, Bohan DA. Ecological plasticity governs ecosystem services in multilayer networks. Commun Biol 2021; 4:75. [PMID: 33462363 PMCID: PMC7813848 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01547-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Agriculture is under pressure to achieve sustainable development goals for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Services in agro-ecosystems are typically driven by key species, and changes in the community composition and species abundance can have multifaceted effects. Assessment of individual services overlooks co-variance between different, but related, services coupled by a common group of species. This partial view ignores how effects propagate through an ecosystem. We conduct an analysis of 374 agricultural multilayer networks of two related services of weed seed regulation and gastropod mollusc predation delivered by carabid beetles. We found that weed seed regulation increased with the herbivore predation interaction frequency, computed from the network of trophic links between carabids and weed seeds in the herbivore layer. Weed seed regulation and herbivore interaction frequencies declined as the interaction frequencies between carabids and molluscs in the carnivore layer increased. This suggests that carabids can switch to gastropod predation with community change, and that link turnover rewires the herbivore and carnivore network layers affecting seed regulation. Our study reveals that ecosystem services are governed by ecological plasticity in structurally complex, multi-layer networks. Sustainable management therefore needs to go beyond the autecological approaches to ecosystem services that predominate, particularly in agriculture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clare Gray
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Athen Ma
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Orla McLaughlin
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAe, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000, Dijon, France
| | - Sandrine Petit
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAe, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000, Dijon, France
| | - Guy Woodward
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - David A Bohan
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAe, Univ. Bourgogne, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000, Dijon, France.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hervías-Parejo S, Tur C, Heleno R, Nogales M, Timóteo S, Traveset A. Species functional traits and abundance as drivers of multiplex ecological networks: first empirical quantification of inter-layer edge weights. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202127. [PMID: 33234084 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Many vertebrate species act as both plant pollinators and seed-dispersers, thus interconnecting these processes, particularly on islands. Ecological multilayer networks are a powerful tool to explore interdependencies between processes; however, quantifying the links between species engaging in different types of interactions (i.e. inter-layer edges) remains a great challenge. Here, we empirically measured inter-layer edge weights by quantifying the role of individually marked birds as both pollinators and seed-dispersers of Galápagos plant species over an entire year. Although most species (80%) engaged in both functions, we show that only a small proportion of individuals actually linked the two processes, highlighting the need to further consider intra-specific variability in individuals' functional roles. Furthermore, we found a high variation among species in linking both processes, i.e. some species contribute more than others to the modular organization of the multilayer network. Small and abundant species are particularly important for the cohesion of pollinator seed-dispersal networks, demonstrating the interplay between species traits and neutral processes structuring natural communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Hervías-Parejo
- Oceanography and Global Change Department. C/ Miquel Marqués 21, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), E07190-Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - C Tur
- Oceanography and Global Change Department. C/ Miquel Marqués 21, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), E07190-Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - R Heleno
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - M Nogales
- Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiologia (IPNA-CSIC), Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group. C/Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canaries, Spain
| | - S Timóteo
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - A Traveset
- Oceanography and Global Change Department. C/ Miquel Marqués 21, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), E07190-Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Guimarães PR. The Structure of Ecological Networks Across Levels of Organization. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012220-120819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Interactions connect the units of ecological systems, forming networks. Individual-based networks characterize variation in niches among individuals within populations. These individual-based networks merge with each other, forming species-based networks and food webs that describe the architecture of ecological communities. Networks at broader spatiotemporal scales portray the structure of ecological interactions across landscapes and over macroevolutionary time. Here, I review the patterns observed in ecological networks across multiple levels of biological organization. A fundamental challenge is to understand the amount of interdependence as we move from individual-based networks to species-based networks and beyond. Despite the uneven distribution of studies, regularities in network structure emerge across scales due to the fundamental architectural patterns shared by complex networks and the interplay between traits and numerical effects. I illustrate the integration of these organizational scales by exploring the consequences of the emergence of highly connected species for network structures across scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paulo R. Guimarães
- Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Rumeu B, Donoso I, Rodríguez-Pérez J, García D. Frugivore species maintain their structural role in the trophic and spatial networks of seed dispersal interactions. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2168-2180. [PMID: 32568426 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Trophic relationships have inherent spatial dimensions associated with the sites where species interactions, or their delayed effects, occur. Trophic networks among interacting species may thus be coupled with spatial networks linking species and habitats whereby animals connect patches across the landscape thanks to their high mobility. This trophic and spatial duality is especially inherent in processes like seed dispersal by animals, where frugivores consume fruit species and deposit seeds across habitats. We analysed the frugivore-plant interactions and seed deposition patterns of a diverse assemblage of frugivores in a heterogeneous landscape in order to determine whether the roles of frugivores in network topology are correlated across trophic and spatial networks of seed dispersal. We recorded fruit consumption and seed deposition by birds and mammals during 2 years in the Cantabrian Range (N Spain). We then constructed two networks of trophic (i.e. frugivore-plant) and spatial (i.e. frugivore-seed deposition habitat) interactions and estimated the contributions of each frugivore species to the network structure in terms of nestedness, modularity and complementary specialization. We tested whether the structural role of frugivore species was correlated across the trophic and spatial networks, and evaluated the influence of each frugivore abundance and body mass in that relationship. Both the trophic and the spatial networks were modular and specialized. Trophic modules matched medium-sized birds with fleshy-fruited trees, and small bird and mammals with small-fruit trees and shrubs. Spatial modules associated birds with woody canopies, and mammals with open habitats. Frugivore species maintained their structural role across the trophic and spatial networks of seed dispersal, even after accounting for frugivore abundance and body mass. The modularity found in our system points to complementarity between birds and mammals in the seed dispersal process, a fact that may trigger landscape-scale secondary succession. Our results open up the possibility of predicting the consumption pattern of a diverse frugivore community, and its ecological consequences, from the uneven distribution of fleshy-fruit resources in the landscape.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Rumeu
- Depto. de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Isabel Donoso
- Depto. de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Senckenberg Biodiversity Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Javier Rodríguez-Pérez
- Depto. de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,Department of Mathematics and its Applications, Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, Pau, France
| | - Daniel García
- Depto. de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas and Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Li HD, Tang L, Jia C, Holyoak M, Fründ J, Huang X, Xiao Z. The functional roles of species in metacommunities, as revealed by metanetwork analyses of bird-plant frugivory networks. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1252-1262. [PMID: 32436358 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how biodiversity and interaction networks change across environmental gradients is a major challenge in ecology. We integrated metacommunity and metanetwork perspectives to test species' functional roles in bird-plant frugivory interactions in a fragmented forest landscape in Southwest China, with consequences for seed dispersal. Availability of fruit resources both on and under trees created vertical feeding stratification for frugivorous birds. Bird-plant interactions involving birds feeding only on-the-tree or both on and under-the-tree (shared) had a higher centrality and contributed more to metanetwork organisation than interactions involving birds feeding only under-the-tree. Moreover, bird-plant interactions associated with large-seeded plants disproportionately contributed to metanetwork organisation and centrality. Consequently, on-the-tree and shared birds contributed more to metanetwork organisation whereas under-the-tree birds were more involved in local processes. We would expect that species' roles in the metanetwork will translate into different conservation values for maintaining functioning of seed-dispersal networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Dong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10049, China
| | - Linfang Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Chenxi Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Marcel Holyoak
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jochen Fründ
- Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Xiaoqun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhishu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10049, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
McLeod AM, Leroux SJ, Chu C. Effects of species traits, motif profiles, and environment on spatial variation in multi‐trophic antagonistic networks. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. McLeod
- Department of Biology Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9 Canada
| | - Shawn J. Leroux
- Department of Biology Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9 Canada
| | - Cindy Chu
- Aquatic Research and Monitoring Section Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry Peterborough Ontario K9L 1Z8 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Acosta-Rojas DC, Jiménez-Franco MV, Zapata-Pérez VM, De la Rúa P, Martínez-López V. An integrative approach to discern the seed dispersal role of frugivorous guilds in a Mediterranean semiarid priority habitat. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7609. [PMID: 31620312 PMCID: PMC6792472 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Seed dispersal is an essential process to maintain the viability of plant populations, and understanding this ecological process allows management strategies to be developed to conserve ecosystems. European Union priority habitat 5220* is defined as "Mediterranean arborescent shrubland with Ziziphus lotus" and it represents a favorable microclimate within the severe climatic conditions typical of the semiarid south-eastern region of the Iberian Peninsula. Therefore, the study of seed dispersal in this priority habitat by different frugivorous guilds, is a challenge for its conservation. In this study, we have characterized a mutualistic network of seed dispersal that is mediated by vertebrates (mammals and birds) in the protected habitat 5220*. The aims of this study were to: (i) identify the seed disperser community; (ii) analyze the relative role of key species in the dispersal process; and (iii) compare the functional ecology of the seed dispersal process between mammals and birds. As such, we collected animal faeces to determine seed dispersers taxonomy, identifying the mammals through the visual aspect of the faeces and the birds by DNA barcoding. In the case of birds, we also collected regurgitated seeds in which the disperser species was also identified through molecular techniques. This allowed us to build-up a mutualistic network and to identify the relative role of these animals in seed dispersal. Our results showed that mammals and birds fulfilled complementary roles in seed dispersal, with birds representing the main dispersers of key plants within the 5220* habitat, and mammals the main dispersers of human-cultivated plants. Herein, we provide a useful approach with relevant information that can be used to propose management policies that focus on restoring the threatened 5220* habitat, promoting the role of birds to disperse key species that structure plant communities of this priority habitat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Carolina Acosta-Rojas
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - María Victoria Jiménez-Franco
- Ecology Area, Department of Applied Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain
- Department of Ecological Modeling, UFZ–Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Pilar De la Rúa
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Vicente Martínez-López
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Nnakenyi CA, Traveset A, Heleno R, Minoarivelo HO, Hui C. Fine‐tuning the nested structure of pollination networks by adaptive interaction switching, biogeography and sampling effect in the Galápagos Islands. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chinenye A. Nnakenyi
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Dept of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch Univ Matieland 7602 South Africa
| | - Anna Traveset
- Mediterranean Inst. of Advanced Studies (CSIC‐UIB), Global Change Research Group, Esporles, Mallorca Balearic Islands Spain
| | - Ruben Heleno
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Dept of Life Sciences, Univ. of Coimbra Coimbra Portugal
| | - Henintsoa O. Minoarivelo
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Dept of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch Univ Matieland 7602 South Africa
| | - Cang Hui
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Dept of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch Univ Matieland 7602 South Africa
- Mathematical Biosciences Group, African Inst. for Mathematical Sciences Cape Town South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Feng K, Zhang Y, He Z, Ning D, Deng Y. Interdomain ecological networks between plants and microbes. Mol Ecol Resour 2019; 19:1565-1577. [PMID: 31479575 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
While macroscopic interkingdom relationships have been intensively investigated in various ecosystems, the above-belowground ecology in natural ecosystems has been poorly understood, especially for the plant-microbe associations at a regional scale. In this study, we proposed a workflow to construct interdomain ecological networks (IDEN) between multiple plants and various microbes (bacteria and archaea in this study). Across 30 latitudinal forests in China, the regional IDEN showed particular topological features, including high connectance, nested structure, asymmetric specialization and modularity. Also, plant species exhibited strong preference to specific microbial groups, and the observed network was significantly different from randomly rewired networks. Network module analysis indicated that a majority of microbes associated with plants within modules rather than across modules, suggesting specialized associations between plants and microorganisms. Consistent plant-microbe associations were captured via IDENs constructed within individual forest locations, which reinforced the validity of IDEN analysis. In addition, the plant-forest link distribution showed the geographical distribution of plants had higher endemicity than that of microorganisms. With cautious experimental design and data processing, this study shows interdomain species associations between plants and microbes in natural forest ecosystems and provides new insights into our understanding of meta-communities across different domain species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuguang Zhang
- Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of State Forestry Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Zhili He
- Environmental Microbiomics Research Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Daliang Ning
- Institute for Environmental Genomics, Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Ye Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
González-Varo JP, Díaz-García S, Arroyo JM, Jordano P. Seed dispersal by dispersing juvenile animals: a source of functional connectivity in fragmented landscapes. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190264. [PMID: 31288682 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile animals generally disperse from their birthplace to their future breeding territories. In fragmented landscapes, habitat-specialist species must disperse through the anthropogenic matrix where remnant habitats are embedded. Here, we test the hypothesis that dispersing juvenile frugivores leave a footprint in the form of seed deposition through the matrix of fragmented landscapes. We focused on the Sardinian warbler ( Sylvia melanocephala), a resident frugivorous passerine. We used data from field sampling of bird-dispersed seeds in the forest and matrix of a fragmented landscape, subsequent disperser identification through DNA-barcoding analysis, and data from a national bird-ringing programme. Seed dispersal by Sardinian warblers was confined to the forest most of the year, but warblers contributed a peak of seed-dispersal events in the matrix between July and October, mainly attributable to dispersing juveniles. Our study uniquely connects animal and plant dispersal, demonstrating that juveniles of habitat-specialist frugivores can provide mobile-link functions transiently, but in a seasonally predictable way.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan P González-Varo
- 1 Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) , Sevilla , Spain.,2 Terrestrial Ecology Group, IMEDEA (UIB-CSIC) , Esporles , Spain.,3 Research Unit of Biodiversity (CSIC-UO-PA), Universidad de Oviedo , Mieres , Spain
| | - Sarah Díaz-García
- 1 Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) , Sevilla , Spain
| | - Juan M Arroyo
- 1 Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) , Sevilla , Spain
| | - Pedro Jordano
- 1 Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) , Sevilla , Spain
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hackett TD, Sauve AMC, Davies N, Montoya D, Tylianakis JM, Memmott J. Reshaping our understanding of species' roles in landscape-scale networks. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1367-1377. [PMID: 31207056 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In network ecology, landscape-scale processes are often overlooked, yet there is increasing evidence that species and interactions spill over between habitats, calling for further study of interhabitat dependencies. Here, we investigate how species connect a mosaic of habitats based on the spatial variation of their mutualistic and antagonistic interactions using two multilayer networks, combining pollination, herbivory and parasitism in the UK and New Zealand. Developing novel methods of network analysis for landscape-scale ecological networks, we discovered that few plant and pollinator species acted as connectors or hubs, both within and among habitats, whereas herbivores and parasitoids typically have more peripheral network roles. Insect species' roles depend on factors other than just the abundance of taxa in the lower trophic level, exemplified by larger Hymenoptera connecting networks of different habitats and insects relying on different resources across different habitats. Our findings provide a broader perspective for landscape-scale management and ecological community conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Talya D Hackett
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS81TQ, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Alix M C Sauve
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS81TQ, UK.,Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK.,Integrative and Theoretical Ecology Group, LabEx COTE, University of Bordeaux, 33615, Pessac, France
| | - Nancy Davies
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS81TQ, UK
| | - Daniel Montoya
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS81TQ, UK.,Centre for Biodiversity Theory and Modelling, Theoretical and Experimental Ecology Station, CNRS, 2 route du CNRS, 09200, Moulis, France
| | - Jason M Tylianakis
- Bioprotection Centre and Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Jane Memmott
- Life Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS81TQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Correia M, Rodríguez-Echeverría S, Timóteo S, Freitas H, Heleno R. Integrating plant species contribution to mycorrhizal and seed dispersal mutualistic networks. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20180770. [PMID: 31039725 PMCID: PMC6548724 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutualistic interactions like those established between plants and mycorrhizal fungi or seed dispersers are key drivers of plant population dynamics and ecosystem functioning; however, these interactions have rarely been explored together. We assembled a tripartite fungi-plant-disperser network in the Gorongosa National Park-Mozambique, to test (1) if diversity and importance of plant mutualists above- and belowground are correlated, and (2) whether biotically and abiotically dispersed plants are associated with distinct arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). We quantified seed dispersal by animals for 1 year and characterized the AMF of 26 common plant species. Sixteen plant species were dispersed by 15 animals and colonized by 48 AMF virtual taxa (VT), while the remaining 10 plant species were not dispersed by animals and associated with 34 AMF VT. We found no evidence for a correlation between the number of plant partners above- and belowground or on plant specialization on both types of partners. We also found no evidence for differentiation of AMF communities between biotically and abiotically dispersed plants. Our results suggest that the establishment of plant interactions with seed dispersers and mycorrhizal fungi is largely independent and that both biotically and abiotically dispersed plants seem to associate with similar communities of AMF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Correia
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Ponisio LC, de Valpine P, M'Gonigle LK, Kremen C. Proximity of restored hedgerows interacts with local floral diversity and species' traits to shape long-term pollinator metacommunity dynamics. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1048-1060. [PMID: 30938483 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Disconnected habitat fragments are poor at supporting population and community persistence; restoration ecologists, therefore, advocate for the establishment of habitat networks across landscapes. Few empirical studies, however, have considered how networks of restored habitat patches affect metacommunity dynamics. Here, using a 10-year study on restored hedgerows and unrestored field margins within an intensive agricultural landscape, we integrate occupancy modelling with network theory to examine the interaction between local and landscape characteristics, habitat selection and dispersal in shaping pollinator metacommunity dynamics. We show that surrounding hedgerows and remnant habitat patches interact with the local floral diversity, bee diet breadth and bee body size to influence site occupancy, via colonisation and persistence dynamics. Florally diverse sites and generalist, small-bodied species are most important for maintaining metacommunity connectivity. By providing the first in-depth assessment of how a network of restored habitat influences long-term population dynamics, we confirm the conservation benefit of hedgerows for pollinator populations and demonstrate the importance of restoring and maintaining habitat networks within an inhospitable matrix.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren C Ponisio
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside 417 Entomology Bldg., Riverside, 92521, CA, USA
| | - Perry de Valpine
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, 94720, CA, USA
| | - Leithen K M'Gonigle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6
| | - Claire Kremen
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, 94720, CA, USA.,Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Coughlan NE, Dickey JWE, Cuthbert RN, Kelly TC, Jansen MAK, Dick JTA. Driver's Seat: Understanding Divergent Zoochorous Dispersal of Propagules. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
26
|
Hutchinson MC, Bramon Mora B, Pilosof S, Barner AK, Kéfi S, Thébault E, Jordano P, Stouffer DB. Seeing the forest for the trees: Putting multilayer networks to work for community ecology. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Hutchinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey
| | - Bernat Bramon Mora
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| | - Shai Pilosof
- Department of Ecology & Evolution University of Chicago Chicago Illinois
| | - Allison K. Barner
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Sonia Kéfi
- ISEM, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, EPHE Montpellier France
| | - Elisa Thébault
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris Paris France
| | - Pedro Jordano
- Department of Integrative Ecology Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD‐CSIC) Seville Spain
| | - Daniel B. Stouffer
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Jalan S, Pradhan P. Localization of multilayer networks by optimized single-layer rewiring. Phys Rev E 2018; 97:042314. [PMID: 29758654 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.97.042314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We study localization properties of principal eigenvectors (PEVs) of multilayer networks (MNs). Starting with a multilayer network corresponding to a delocalized PEV, we rewire the network edges using an optimization technique such that the PEV of the rewired multilayer network becomes more localized. The framework allows us to scrutinize structural and spectral properties of the networks at various localization points during the rewiring process. We show that rewiring only one layer is enough to attain a MN having a highly localized PEV. Our investigation reveals that a single edge rewiring of the optimized MN can lead to the complete delocalization of a highly localized PEV. This sensitivity in the localization behavior of PEVs is accompanied with the second largest eigenvalue lying very close to the largest one. This observation opens an avenue to gain a deeper insight into the origin of PEV localization of networks. Furthermore, analysis of multilayer networks constructed using real-world social and biological data shows that the localization properties of these real-world multilayer networks are in good agreement with the simulation results for the model multilayer network. This paper is relevant to applications that require understanding propagation of perturbation in multilayer networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarika Jalan
- Complex Systems Lab, Discipline of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
- Centre for Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Priodyuti Pradhan
- Complex Systems Lab, Discipline of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Turnbull L, Hütt MT, Ioannides AA, Kininmonth S, Poeppl R, Tockner K, Bracken LJ, Keesstra S, Liu L, Masselink R, Parsons AJ. Connectivity and complex systems: learning from a multi-disciplinary perspective. APPLIED NETWORK SCIENCE 2018; 3:11. [PMID: 30839779 PMCID: PMC6214298 DOI: 10.1007/s41109-018-0067-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, parallel developments in disparate disciplines have focused on what has come to be termed connectivity; a concept used in understanding and describing complex systems. Conceptualisations and operationalisations of connectivity have evolved largely within their disciplinary boundaries, yet similarities in this concept and its application among disciplines are evident. However, any implementation of the concept of connectivity carries with it both ontological and epistemological constraints, which leads us to ask if there is one type or set of approach(es) to connectivity that might be applied to all disciplines. In this review we explore four ontological and epistemological challenges in using connectivity to understand complex systems from the standpoint of widely different disciplines. These are: (i) defining the fundamental unit for the study of connectivity; (ii) separating structural connectivity from functional connectivity; (iii) understanding emergent behaviour; and (iv) measuring connectivity. We draw upon discipline-specific insights from Computational Neuroscience, Ecology, Geomorphology, Neuroscience, Social Network Science and Systems Biology to explore the use of connectivity among these disciplines. We evaluate how a connectivity-based approach has generated new understanding of structural-functional relationships that characterise complex systems and propose a 'common toolbox' underpinned by network-based approaches that can advance connectivity studies by overcoming existing constraints.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Stuart Kininmonth
- Stockholm Resilience Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- The University of South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | | | - Klement Tockner
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Austrian Science Funds, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Lichan Liu
- Laboratory for Human Brain Dynamics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | | |
Collapse
|