Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks
Plant–animal mutualistic networks are characterized by highly heterogeneous degree distributions. The majority of species interact with few partner species, while a small number are highly connected to form network hubs that are proposed to play an important role in community stability. It has not b...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Royal Society
2016-01-01
|
| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.150630 |
| _version_ | 1818406798450753536 |
|---|---|
| author | Shoko Sakai Soeren Metelmann Yukihiko Toquenaga Arndt Telschow |
| author_facet | Shoko Sakai Soeren Metelmann Yukihiko Toquenaga Arndt Telschow |
| author_sort | Shoko Sakai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plant–animal mutualistic networks are characterized by highly heterogeneous degree distributions. The majority of species interact with few partner species, while a small number are highly connected to form network hubs that are proposed to play an important role in community stability. It has not been investigated, however, if or how the degree distributions vary among types of mutualisms or communities, or between plants and animals in the same network. Here, we evaluate the degree distributions of pollination and seed-dispersal networks, which are two major types of mutualistic networks that have often been discussed in parallel, using an index based on Pielou's evenness. Among 56 pollination networks we found strong negative correlation of the heterogeneity between plants and animals, and geographical shifts of network hubs from plants in temperate regions to animals in the tropics. For 28 seed-dispersal networks, by contrast, the correlation was positive, and there is no comparable geographical pattern. These results may be explained by evolution towards specialization in the presence of context-dependent costs that occur if plants share the animal species as interaction partner. How the identity of network hubs affects the stability and resilience of the community is an important question for future studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:17:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2bd6e61d84ae43cead06e0c45551fa50 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:17:40Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-2bd6e61d84ae43cead06e0c45551fa502022-12-21T23:08:23ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032016-01-013610.1098/rsos.150630150630Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networksShoko SakaiSoeren MetelmannYukihiko ToquenagaArndt TelschowPlant–animal mutualistic networks are characterized by highly heterogeneous degree distributions. The majority of species interact with few partner species, while a small number are highly connected to form network hubs that are proposed to play an important role in community stability. It has not been investigated, however, if or how the degree distributions vary among types of mutualisms or communities, or between plants and animals in the same network. Here, we evaluate the degree distributions of pollination and seed-dispersal networks, which are two major types of mutualistic networks that have often been discussed in parallel, using an index based on Pielou's evenness. Among 56 pollination networks we found strong negative correlation of the heterogeneity between plants and animals, and geographical shifts of network hubs from plants in temperate regions to animals in the tropics. For 28 seed-dispersal networks, by contrast, the correlation was positive, and there is no comparable geographical pattern. These results may be explained by evolution towards specialization in the presence of context-dependent costs that occur if plants share the animal species as interaction partner. How the identity of network hubs affects the stability and resilience of the community is an important question for future studies.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.150630pollinationseed dispersalecological networkdegree distributionspecializationnetwork heterogeneity |
| spellingShingle | Shoko Sakai Soeren Metelmann Yukihiko Toquenaga Arndt Telschow Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks Royal Society Open Science pollination seed dispersal ecological network degree distribution specialization network heterogeneity |
| title | Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks |
| title_full | Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks |
| title_fullStr | Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks |
| title_short | Geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks |
| title_sort | geographical variation in the heterogeneity of mutualistic networks |
| topic | pollination seed dispersal ecological network degree distribution specialization network heterogeneity |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.150630 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shokosakai geographicalvariationintheheterogeneityofmutualisticnetworks AT soerenmetelmann geographicalvariationintheheterogeneityofmutualisticnetworks AT yukihikotoquenaga geographicalvariationintheheterogeneityofmutualisticnetworks AT arndttelschow geographicalvariationintheheterogeneityofmutualisticnetworks |