Abstract
Plant-animal interactions occur in a community context of dynamic and complex ecological interactive networks. The understanding of who interacts with whom is a basic information, but the outcomes of interactions among associates are fundamental to draw valid conclusions about the functional structure of the network. Ecological networks studies in general gave little importance to know the true outcomes of interactions and how they may change over time. We evaluate the dynamic of an interaction network between ants and plants with extrafloral nectaries, by verifying the temporal variation in structure and outcomes of mutualism for the plant community (leaf herbivory). To reach this goal, we used two tools: bipartite network analysis and experimental manipulation. The networks exhibited the same general pattern as other mutualistic networks: nestedness, asymmetry and low specialization and this pattern was maintained over time, but with internal changes (species degree, connectance and ant abundance). These changes influenced the protection effectiveness of plants by ants, which varied over time. Our study shows that interaction networks between ants and plants are dynamic over time, and that these alterations affect the outcomes of mutualisms. In addition, our study proposes that the set of single systems that shape ecological networks can be manipulated for a greater understanding of the entire system.
Highlights
Plant-animal interactions occur in a community context of dynamic and complex ecological interactive networks and the understanding of who interacts with whom is a basic information, but the outcomes of interactions among associates are fundamental to draw valid conclusions about the functional structure of the network [1,2,3]
Extrafloral nectaried plants are present in at least 25% of species and 31% of individuals in a Cerrado area [49] as verification of the interaction outcomes requires experimental manipulation, we chose a subset of plant species with extrafloral nectaries
A total of 31 ant species from six subfamilies and 14 genera were associated with the studied extrafloral nectaries (EFNs)-bearing plants between 2009 and
Summary
Plant-animal interactions occur in a community context of dynamic and complex ecological interactive networks and the understanding of who interacts with whom is a basic information, but the outcomes of interactions among associates are fundamental to draw valid conclusions about the functional structure of the network [1,2,3].Evolutionary ecologists are becoming increasingly interested in bipartite network analysis depicting interspecific interactions, as a tool for studies within an ecological context [4,5,6]. Bipartite network analysis includes several metrics, such as connectance, nestedness, cluster coefficients, web asymmetry, number of compartments, species degree, among others (see more details in [7]) and enables conclusions to be drawn on structure, stability and the robustness of interactions involving two groups of organisms [8,9,10,11,12,13] According to Hagen and co-workers [6], new data analytical tools such as network analysis, form an essential ingredient in the study of complex systems. The control stems received a band of adhesive paper with resin, it covered only half of the stem diameter, enabling ants to continue to climb the stem.
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