Ecological, historical and evolutionary determinants of modularity in weighted seed-dispersal networks

Matthias Schleuning, Lili Ingmann, Rouven Strauß, Susanne A. Fritz, Bo Dalsgaard, D. Matthias Dehling, Michaela Plein, Francisco Saavedra, Brody Steven Sandel, Jens-Christian Svenning, Katrin Böhning-Gaese, Carsten F. Dormann

    106 Citationer (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Modularity is a recurrent and important property of bipartite ecological networks. Although well-resolved ecological networks describe interaction frequencies between species pairs, modularity of bipartite networks has been analysed only on the basis of binary presence-absence data. We employ a new algorithm to detect modularity in weighted bipartite networks in a global analysis of avian seed-dispersal networks. We define roles of species, such as connector values, for weighted and binary networks and associate them with avian species traits and phylogeny. The weighted, but not binary, analysis identified a positive relationship between climatic seasonality and modularity, whereas past climate stability and phylogenetic signal were only weakly related to modularity. Connector values were associated with foraging behaviour and were phylogenetically conserved. The weighted modularity analysis demonstrates the dominating impact of ecological factors on the structure of seed-dispersal networks, but also underscores the relevance of evolutionary history in shaping species roles in ecological communities.
    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    TidsskriftEcology Letters
    Vol/bind17
    Udgave nummer4
    Sider (fra-til)454-463
    Antal sider10
    ISSN1461-023X
    DOI
    StatusUdgivet - apr. 2014

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