Measuring and Linking the Missing Part of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function: The Diversity of Biotic Interactions

Abstract

Biotic interactions are part of all ecosystem attributes and play an important role in the structure and stability of biological communities. In this study, we give a brief account of how the threads of biotic interactions are linked and how we can measure such complexity by focusing on mutualistic interactions. We start by explaining that although biotic interactions are fundamental ecological processes, they are also a component of biodiversity with a clear α, β and γ diversity structure which can be measured and used to explain how biotic interactions vary over time and space. Specifically, we explain how to estimate the α-diversity by measuring the properties of species interaction networks. We also untangle the components of the β-diversity and how it can be used to make pairwise comparisons between networks. Moreover, we move forward to explain how local ecological networks are a subset of a regional pool of species and potential interactions, γ-diversity, and how this approach allows assessing the spatial and temporal dynamics of ecological networks. Finally, we propose a new framework for studying interactions and the biodiversity–ecosystem function relationship by identifying the unique and common interactions of local networks over space, time or both together.

Pathways to global-change effects on biodiversity: new opportunities for dynamically forecasting demography and species interactions

“…While individual-based data on multiple species in a community are rare, population-level data on stage-specific multi-species abundances are routinely collected in studies focused on spatio-temporal changes in community composition [52,[69][70][71][72][73]. Such studies assess relative abundances of species [74][75][76][77] or changes in reproduction and survival at the species level [78][79][80]. However, stagespecific demographic rates are mostly omitted, and studies typically do not explicitly forecast dynamic changes in species interactions.…”

Invasive species increase biodiversity and, therefore, services: An argument of equivocations

“…For example, the entities being counted could be the distinct habitat types in an area, like shrublands or deciduous tree forest, or biotic "features," which are the biotic traits possessed by populations such as their genes or their "functions." Further dimensions of biodiversity could be argued for such as diversity of biotic interactions (Luna, Corro, Antoniazzi, & D attilo, 2020). These can be understood as compromising different levels of biodiversity and we may have reason to count all or some (Faith, 2016;Lean & Sterelny, 2016).…”

Infection intensity shapes specialization and beta diversity of haemosporidian–bird networks across elevations

“…Categorizing parasites as either specialists or generalists within the network approach may be a difficult task since even parasites with host specialization often infect a wide range of hosts albeit with lower infection intensities (Huang et al, 2018;. Therefore, including infection intensity values in a metaweb (i.e., a representation of a regional pool of potential interactions; Luna et al, 2020) could provide relevant information rather than the interaction frequency, and thus modify specialization values and network structure. The Haemosporida Order is a multihost, multiparasite system conformed of intracellular protozoans that infect vertebrates via Diptera vectors (Valki unas, 2005).…”

“…Communities are expected to differ in their species composition and interactions, mainly due to species replacement. Thus, the turnover of interactions may be due to species turnover, which may be increased by either geographical or environmental distance (Krasnov et al, 2019; Luna et al, 2020).…”