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The robustness of pollination networks to the loss of species and interactions: a quantitative approach incorporating pollinator behaviour
Author(s) -
KaiserBunbury Christopher N.,
Muff Stefanie,
Memmott Jane,
Müller Christine B.,
Caflisch Amedeo
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01437.x
Subject(s) - pollination , extinction (optical mineralogy) , pollinator , ecology , robustness (evolution) , biology , disturbance (geology) , pollen , paleontology , biochemistry , gene
Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 442–452 Abstract 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.