TY - JOUR
T1 - Abundance drives broad patterns of generalisation in plant–hummingbird pollination networks
AU - Simmons, Benno I.
AU - Vizentin-Bugoni, Jeferson
AU - Maruyama, Pietro K.
AU - Cotton, Peter A.
AU - Marín-Gómez, Oscar H.
AU - Lara, Carlos
AU - Rosero-Lasprilla, Liliana
AU - Maglianesi, María A.
AU - Ortiz-Pulido, Raul
AU - Rocca, Márcia A.
AU - Rodrigues, Licléia C.
AU - Tinoco, Boris A.
AU - Vasconcelos, Marcelo F.
AU - Sazima, Marlies
AU - Martín González, Ana M.
AU - Sonne, Jesper
AU - Rahbek, Carsten
AU - Dicks, Lynn V.
AU - Dalsgaard, Bo
AU - Sutherland, William J.
PY - 2019/9/1
Y1 - 2019/9/1
N2 - Abundant pollinators are often more generalised than rare pollinators. This could be because abundant species have more chance encounters with potential interaction partners. On the other hand, generalised species could have a competitive advantage over specialists, leading to higher abundance. Determining the direction of the abundance–generalisation relationship is therefore a ‘chicken-and-egg’ dilemma. Here we determine the direction of the relationship between abundance and generalisation in plant–hummingbird pollination networks across the Americas. We find evidence that hummingbird pollinators are generalised because they are abundant, and little evidence that hummingbirds are abundant because they are generalised. Additionally, most patterns of species-level abundance and generalisation were well explained by a null model that assumed interaction neutrality (interaction probabilities defined by species relative abundances). These results suggest that neutral processes play a key role in driving broad patterns of generalisation in animal pollinators across large spatial scales.
AB - Abundant pollinators are often more generalised than rare pollinators. This could be because abundant species have more chance encounters with potential interaction partners. On the other hand, generalised species could have a competitive advantage over specialists, leading to higher abundance. Determining the direction of the abundance–generalisation relationship is therefore a ‘chicken-and-egg’ dilemma. Here we determine the direction of the relationship between abundance and generalisation in plant–hummingbird pollination networks across the Americas. We find evidence that hummingbird pollinators are generalised because they are abundant, and little evidence that hummingbirds are abundant because they are generalised. Additionally, most patterns of species-level abundance and generalisation were well explained by a null model that assumed interaction neutrality (interaction probabilities defined by species relative abundances). These results suggest that neutral processes play a key role in driving broad patterns of generalisation in animal pollinators across large spatial scales.
KW - mutualism
KW - mutualistic networks
KW - plant–animal interactions
KW - specialisation
U2 - 10.1111/oik.06104
DO - 10.1111/oik.06104
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85065818352
SN - 0030-1299
VL - 128
SP - 1287
EP - 1295
JO - Oikos
JF - Oikos
IS - 9
ER -