Glacier retreat decreases mutualistic network robustness over spacetime

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Version: Final published version
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_205AFAE96B9D
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Glacier retreat decreases mutualistic network robustness over spacetime
Journal
Ecography
Author(s)
Conti Matteo, Cerretti Pierfilippo, Ferrari Andrea, Gabrieli Paolo, Paone Francesco, Polidori Carlo, Sommaggio Daniele, Losapio Gianalberto
ISSN
0906-7590
1600-0587
Publication state
Published
Issued date
05/11/2024
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Language
english
Abstract
Glaciers are retreating worldwide at an ever-increasing rate, exposing new ice-free areas to ecological succession. This process leads to changes in biodiversity and potentially to novel species interactions. However, we still have a limited understanding of how glacier retreat influences species interaction networks, particularly the structure and robustness of mutualistic networks. After reconstructing plant–pollinator networks along a 140-years chronosequence on a glacier foreland, we address the effects of glacier retreat on network structure and robustness. Our results show that the prevalence of different network motifs changes over spacetime, leading to a decrease of network robustness. With glacier retreat, mutualistic networks shift from highly connected with diverse specialist interactions to loosely connected with few generalist interactions. Furthermore, despite the turnover of plant species, we find that species structural roles remain constant over spacetime while depending on species identity. Our findings suggest that glacier retreat reshuffles mutualistic networks with motifs posing low robustness, leading to increased fragility. Understanding the assembly and breaking down of species interaction networks provides novel insights into the development and stability of novel, post-glacial ecological systems facing glacier extinction.
Keywords
biodiversity change, climate change, food web, interaction diversity, pollination networks, species interactions
Open Access
Yes
Create date
06/11/2024 14:05
Last modification date
12/11/2024 7:09
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