robustness of pollination networks to the loss of species and interactions: a quantitative approach incorporating pollinator behaviour

• Published in: Ecology letters Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 442 - 452
• Main Authors: Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N, Muff, Stefanie, Memmott, Jane, Müller, Christine B, Caflisch, Amedeo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2010; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; behavior; Behavior, Animal; Behaviour; Biological and medical sciences; complex networks; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Data processing; Ecology; Ecosystem; Endangered & extinct species; Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration; extinction; Extinction, Biological; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; habitat conservation; habitat restoration; Mauritius; Models, Biological; mutualism; network re-wiring; Plant reproduction; Pollen; Pollination; Simulation; Symbiosis; Mauritius; Indian Ocean Islands; Behaviour; Extinction; habitat restoration; Loss; complex networks; Mutualism; Mauritius; Pollination; Pollinator; Habitat; Ecological recovery; Robustness; Interspecific relation; network re-wiring
• ISSN: 1461-023X; 1461-0248
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01437.x

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 442-452 Species extinctions pose serious threats to the functioning of ecological communities worldwide. We used two qualitative and quantitative pollination networks to simulate extinction patterns following three removal scenarios: random removal and systematic removal of the strongest and weakest interactors. We accounted for pollinator behaviour by including potential links into temporal snapshots (12 consecutive 2-week networks) to reflect mutualists' ability to 'switch' interaction partners (re-wiring). Qualitative data suggested a linear or slower than linear secondary extinction while quantitative data showed sigmoidal decline of plant interaction strength upon removal of the strongest interactor. Temporal snapshots indicated greater stability of re-wired networks over static systems. Tolerance of generalized networks to species extinctions was high in the random removal scenario, with an increase in network stability if species formed new interactions. Anthropogenic disturbance, however, that promote the extinction of the strongest interactors might induce a sudden collapse of pollination networks.