Morphological trait matching shapes plant–frugivore networks across the Andes

Bender, Irene M. A.; Kissling, W. Daniel; Blendinger, Pedro G.; Böhning‐Gaese, Katrin; Hensen, Isabell; Kühn, Ingolf; Muñoz, Marcia C.; Neuschulz, Eike Lena; Nowak, Larissa; Quitián, Marta; Saavedra, Francisco; Santillán, Vinicio; Töpfer, Till; Wiegand, Thorsten; Dehling, D. Matthias; Schleuning, Matthias

doi:10.1111/ecog.03396

Cited by 77 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…This suggests that the evolution of frugivory in the Neotropics trends towards specialization on specific fruit resources, which could have been reinforced by plant trait convergence in diverse mutualistic networks; that is, convergence of plant species on different fruit‐trait syndromes could strengthen niche partitioning (Escribano‐Ávila et al, ; Guimarães, Jordano, & Thompson, ). This finding is also consistent with a high degree of trait matching between avian frugivores and their preferred foraging plants in the Neotropics (Bender et al, ). Although plants and frugivores in the Afrotropics show similar patterns of trait matching (Vollstädt et al, ), the higher resource diversity in the Neotropics should lead to higher resource specialization and niche partitioning in Neotropical frugivores.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Seed‐dispersal networks are more specialized in the Neotropics than in the Afrotropics

Dugger

Blendinger

Böhning‐Gaese

et al. 2018

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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Aim Biogeographical comparisons of interaction networks help to elucidate differences in ecological communities and ecosystem functioning at large scales. Neotropical ecosystems have higher diversity and a different composition of frugivores and fleshy‐fruited plants compared with Afrotropical systems, but a lack of intercontinental comparisons limits understanding of (a) whether plant–frugivore networks are structured in a similar manner, and (b) whether the same species traits define the roles of animals across continents. Location Afrotropics and Neotropics. Time period 1977–2015. Taxa Fleshy‐fruited plants and frugivorous vertebrates. Methods We compiled a dataset comprising 17 Afrotropical and 48 Neotropical weighted seed‐dispersal networks quantifying frugivory interactions between 1,091 fleshy‐fruited plant and 665 animal species, comprising in total 8,251 interaction links between plants and animals. In addition, we compiled information on the body mass of animals and their degree of frugivory. We compared four standard network‐level metrics related to interaction diversity and specialization, accounting for differences related to sampling effort and network location. Furthermore, we tested whether animal traits (body mass, degree of frugivory) differed between continents, whether these traits were related to the network roles of species and whether these relationships varied between continents. Results We found significant structural differences in networks between continents. Overall, Neotropical networks were less nested and more specialized than Afrotropical networks. At the species level, a higher body mass and degree of frugivory were associated with an increasing diversity of plant partners. Specialization of frugivores increased with the degree of frugivory, but only in the Neotropics. Main conclusions Our findings show that Afrotropical networks have a greater overlap in plant partners among vertebrate frugivores than the more diverse networks in the Neotropics that are characterized by a greater niche partitioning. Hence, the loss of frugivore species could have stronger impacts on ecosystem functioning in the more specialized Neotropical communities compared with the more generalized Afrotropical communities.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Seed‐dispersal networks are more specialized in the Neotropics than in the Afrotropics

Dugger

Blendinger

Böhning‐Gaese

et al. 2018

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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“…The positive relationship between gape width and average size of fruits eaten and interactions between large‐seeded trees and large‐bodied frugivores that resulted in a distinct module highlighted size matching or morphological constraints and its role in the organization of the plant‐disperser community as has been suggested elsewhere (Bender et al, ; Burns, ; Palacio et al, ; Sebastián‐González, Pires, Donatti, Guimarães, & Dirzo, ; Vázquez, Blüthgen, Cagnolo, & Chacoff, ). Membership of modules provided interesting insights into their organization in the plant‐disperser network.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

Large frugivores matter: Insights from network and seed dispersal effectiveness approaches

Naniwadekar

Chaplod

Rathore

et al. 2019

Journal of Animal Ecology

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While large avian frugivores are known to be key dispersers for large‐seeded tree species, their role in community‐wide plant‐disperser networks is still poorly known. Large avian frugivores are also among the most threatened due to anthropogenic impacts. We evaluated the role of large avian frugivores in a plant‐disperser community by (a) determining whether the plant‐disperser community was modular, with a distinct community of large frugivores (thereby highlighting their importance), (b) determining relative qualitative and quantitative roles played by large‐bodied frugivores vis‐à‐vis other frugivores and (c) determining impacts of large‐bodied frugivore loss on the plant‐disperser community. The study was carried out at a tropical forest site in north‐east India, which is part of the Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot. We collected tree watch data (20:55 hr) from 46 tree species, which represented 85% of tree species that are predominantly bird‐dispersed in the area. We found that the plant‐disperser community was modular, with a distinct module of large‐seeded tree species and large frugivores. Intermediate‐sized frugivores such as barbets and bulbuls were the most connected, while large‐sized frugivores, such as hornbills and imperial pigeons, were moderately well connected. Qualitative and quantitative roles played by different dispersers varied across the gradient of frugivore body size. Hornbills, the largest avian frugivores, consumed a significantly greater number of fruits and swallowed larger proportions of fruits compared with other avian groups. In comparison with similar‐sized frugivores, imperial pigeons fed on larger‐sized fruits, highlighting their importance for dispersal of large‐seeded plants. Under simulated extinction scenarios, larger extinction cascades were not necessarily caused by larger frugivores; however, extinctions of certain large‐bodied frugivores (hornbills, imperial pigeons) caused extinction cascades. Integrating information from networks and seed dispersal effectiveness approaches enabled a better understanding of large frugivore role in a plant‐disperser community. While large‐bodied frugivores may not be playing a central role in plant‐disperser communities, they are crucial as seed dispersal service providers for large‐seeded plants. In conjunction with the reported local extinctions of large frugivores like hornbills from the south Asian region, this study’s findings highlight the irreplaceable quantitative and qualitative impacts that tropical plant communities are likely to experience in the future.

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“…Morphological traits were not related to the degree of species specialization, indicating that traits of one trophic level are not informative to predict specialization (Dalsgaard et al, ). Trait matching between trophic levels, in contrast, can sharpen our understanding about how species traits structure species interactions and network architecture (Albrecht et al, ; Bender et al, ; Dehling et al, ). Interestingly, we found no link between species specialization and species elevational ranges.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specialization of plant–pollinator interactions increases with temperature at Mt. Kilimanjaro

Claßen

Eardley

Hemp

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Aim Species differ in their degree of specialization when interacting with other species, with significant consequences for the function and robustness of ecosystems. In order to better estimate such consequences, we need to improve our understanding of the spatial patterns and drivers of specialization in interaction networks. Methods Here, we used the extensive environmental gradient of Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, East Africa) to study patterns and drivers of specialization, and robustness of plant–pollinator interactions against simulated species extinction with standardized sampling methods. We studied specialization, network robustness and other network indices of 67 quantitative plant–pollinator networks consisting of 268 observational hours and 4,380 plant–pollinator interactions along a 3.4 km elevational gradient. Using path analysis, we tested whether resource availability, pollinator richness, visitation rates, temperature, and/or area explain average specialization in pollinator communities. We further linked pollinator specialization to different pollinator taxa, and species traits, that is, proboscis length, body size, and species elevational ranges. Results We found that specialization decreased with increasing elevation at different levels of biological organization. Among all variables, mean annual temperature was the best predictor of average specialization in pollinator communities. Specialization differed between pollinator taxa, but was not related to pollinator traits. Network robustness against simulated species extinctions of both plants and pollinators was lowest in the most specialized interaction networks, that is, in the lowlands. Conclusions Our study uncovers patterns in plant–pollinator specialization along elevational gradients. Mean annual temperature was closely linked to pollinator specialization. Energetic constraints, caused by short activity timeframes in cold highlands, may force ectothermic species to broaden their dietary spectrum. Alternatively or in addition, accelerated evolutionary rates might facilitate the establishment of specialization under warm climates. Despite the mechanisms behind the patterns have yet to be fully resolved, our data suggest that temperature shifts in the course of climate change may destabilize pollination networks by affecting network architecture.

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Morphological trait matching shapes plant–frugivore networks across the Andes

Cited by 77 publications

References 59 publications

Seed‐dispersal networks are more specialized in the Neotropics than in the Afrotropics

Seed‐dispersal networks are more specialized in the Neotropics than in the Afrotropics

Large frugivores matter: Insights from network and seed dispersal effectiveness approaches

Specialization of plant–pollinator interactions increases with temperature at Mt. Kilimanjaro

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