Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction Networks
The emergence of graph theory allowed using the complex network approach to aggregate detailed information about interactions between species. Although the use of the complex network approach has improved the understanding about community structuring, few aspects such as the temporal variation in t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Sociobiology |
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| Online Access: | https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/9283 |
| _version_ | 1797423738343391232 |
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| author | JOSE ENEAS SCHRAMM JUNIOR Gabriela S. Oliveira Tamires B. Santos Gilberto Marcos de M. Santos |
| author_facet | JOSE ENEAS SCHRAMM JUNIOR Gabriela S. Oliveira Tamires B. Santos Gilberto Marcos de M. Santos |
| author_sort | JOSE ENEAS SCHRAMM JUNIOR |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The emergence of graph theory allowed using the complex network approach to aggregate detailed information about interactions between species. Although the use of the complex network approach has improved the understanding about community structuring, few aspects such as the temporal variation in the species’ activity pattern in the networks’ topology were explored so far. The current study used the ecological network approach to investigate ants interacting in the extrafloral nectary (EFN) of plants in order to test the hypothesis that the temporal variation in the foraging behavior of these animals affects the networks’ topology. In order to assess the temporal effect on the interaction networks, 24-hour collections divided in two 12-hour shifts (day and night) were performed in 20 plots, thus totaling 288 collection hours over 6 months. The ant-plant interaction networks presented similarity among the topological metrics assessed throughout the day. Different ant species presented distinct foraging times. Thus, two modules referring to the day and night shifts emerged from the network and presented specific species at each foraging shift. On the other hand, the plants kept on providing the resource (active EFNs) throughout the day. The results found in the current study have shown that ecological networks keep their structures constant; however, the ecological processes ruling these networks can better respond to the effects caused, for example, by the temporal variation in species’ activity. Therefore, it is worth always taking into consideration the importance of ecological processes at the time to analyze interactions in the nature.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:52:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9bffe805cce43fbb831412eb12d4278 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0361-6525 2447-8067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:52:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sociobiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9bffe805cce43fbb831412eb12d42782023-12-03T01:37:21ZengUniversidade Estadual de Feira de SantanaSociobiology0361-65252447-80672023-10-0170410.13102/sociobiology.v70i4.9283Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction NetworksJOSE ENEAS SCHRAMM JUNIOR0Gabriela S. Oliveira1Tamires B. Santos2Gilberto Marcos de M. Santos3Feira de Santana State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Feira de Santana, Bahia, BrazilFeira de Santana State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Feira de Santana, Bahia, BrazilFeira de Santana State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Feira de Santana, Bahia, BrazilFeira de Santana State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil The emergence of graph theory allowed using the complex network approach to aggregate detailed information about interactions between species. Although the use of the complex network approach has improved the understanding about community structuring, few aspects such as the temporal variation in the species’ activity pattern in the networks’ topology were explored so far. The current study used the ecological network approach to investigate ants interacting in the extrafloral nectary (EFN) of plants in order to test the hypothesis that the temporal variation in the foraging behavior of these animals affects the networks’ topology. In order to assess the temporal effect on the interaction networks, 24-hour collections divided in two 12-hour shifts (day and night) were performed in 20 plots, thus totaling 288 collection hours over 6 months. The ant-plant interaction networks presented similarity among the topological metrics assessed throughout the day. Different ant species presented distinct foraging times. Thus, two modules referring to the day and night shifts emerged from the network and presented specific species at each foraging shift. On the other hand, the plants kept on providing the resource (active EFNs) throughout the day. The results found in the current study have shown that ecological networks keep their structures constant; however, the ecological processes ruling these networks can better respond to the effects caused, for example, by the temporal variation in species’ activity. Therefore, it is worth always taking into consideration the importance of ecological processes at the time to analyze interactions in the nature. https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/9283Optimal DefenseAnt/Plant InteractionContext-dependent mutualismExtra Floral NectarInteraction networksTemporal variation |
| spellingShingle | JOSE ENEAS SCHRAMM JUNIOR Gabriela S. Oliveira Tamires B. Santos Gilberto Marcos de M. Santos Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction Networks Sociobiology Optimal Defense Ant/Plant Interaction Context-dependent mutualism Extra Floral Nectar Interaction networks Temporal variation |
| title | Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction Networks |
| title_full | Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction Networks |
| title_fullStr | Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction Networks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction Networks |
| title_short | Ants Sleep, Plants do not: The Variation in Species’ Activity Influences the Topology of Interaction Networks |
| title_sort | ants sleep plants do not the variation in species activity influences the topology of interaction networks |
| topic | Optimal Defense Ant/Plant Interaction Context-dependent mutualism Extra Floral Nectar Interaction networks Temporal variation |
| url | https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/9283 |
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