Journal of Ecology and Environment

The Ecological Society of Korea (한국생태학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Assessing the relationship between latitude and plant-pollinator network specialization

  • Ehsan Rahimi (Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University) ;
  • Chuleui Jung (Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University)
  • Received : 2024.03.12
  • Accepted : 2024.06.20
  • Published : 2024.09.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Background: Research investigating the relationship between latitude and network specialization plant-pollinator networks present conflicting results. While some studies indicate a positive link between latitude and network specialization, particularly in tropical regions, others suggest contradictory trends, with specialization declining towards lower latitudes. These studies underscore the intricate nature of ecological specialization in plant-pollinator networks and the need for further studies in this field to gain a more nuanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving these patterns. In this study, we explore the relationship between plant-pollinator network specialization and latitude using a global dataset comprising 93 plant-pollinator networks. Results: Our analysis revealed a significant relationship with latitude mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly concerning metrics such as connectance and nestedness. However, notably, we found no association with H2, a metric immune to the size, shape, or sampling effects of the network and considered highly suitable for measuring network specialization in both Hemispheres. Conclusions: The absence of latitudinal trends in network specialization (H2) in both Hemispheres in this study imply that the mutual attraction between plants and pollinators remains relatively stable across various latitudes. Our comparison with prior research highlights the diversity of conclusions regarding how latitude influences plant-pollinator networks. While our results are consistent with certain studies, indicating no direct impact of latitude on network specialization, discrepancies persist.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was funded by RDA Korea, grant number RS-2023-00232847, and National Research Foundation of Korea (National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2018R1A6A1A03024862).

References

  1. Bascompte J, Jordano P. Plant-animal mutualistic networks: the architecture of biodiversity. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst. 2007;38:567-93. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.38.091206.095818.
  2. Bastolla U, Fortuna MA, Pascual-Garcia A, Ferrera A, Luque B, Bascompte J. The architecture of mutualistic networks minimizes competition and increases biodiversity. Nature. 2009;458(7241):1018-20. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07950.
  3. Biella P, Ollerton J, Barcella M, Assini S. Network analysis of phenological units to detect important species in plant-pollinator assemblages: can it inform conservation strategies? Commun Ecol. 2017;18:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1556/168.2017.18.1.1.
  4. Bluthgen N, Frund J, Vazquez DP, Menzel F. What do interaction network metrics tell us about specialization and biological traits? Ecology. 2008;89(12):3387-99. https://doi.org/10.1890/07-2121.1.
  5. Bluthgen N, Klein AM. Functional complementarity and specialisation: the role of biodiversity in plant-pollinator interactions. Basic Appl Ecol. 2011;12(4):282-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2010.11.001.
  6. Bluthgen N, Menzel F, Bluthgen N. Measuring specialization in species interaction networks. BMC Ecol. 2006;6:9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-6-9.
  7. Bluthgen N, Menzel F, Hovestadt T, Fiala B, Bluthgen N. Specialization, constraints, and conflicting interests in mutualistic networks. Curr Biol. 2007;17(4):341-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2006.12.039.
  8. Bond WJ. Do mutualisms matter? Assessing the impact of pollinator and disperser disruption on plant extinction. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1994;344(1307):83-90.
  9. Brown JH. Why are there so many species in the tropics? J Biogeogr. 2014;41(1):8-22. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12228.
  10. Burgos E, Ceva H, Perazzo RP, Devoto M, Medan D, Zimmermann M, et al. Why nestedness in mutualistic networks? J Theor Biol. 2007;249(2):307-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.07.030.
  11. Carstensen DW, Trojelsgaard K, Ollerton J, Morellato LPC. Local and regional specialization in plant-pollinator networks. Oikos. 2018;127(4):531-7. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.04436.
  12. Dalsgaard B, Trojelsgaard K, Martin Gonzalez AM, Nogues-Bravo D, Ollerton J, Petanidou T, et al. Historical climate-change influences modularity and nestedness of pollination networks. Ecography. 2013;36:1331-40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2013.00201.x.
  13. Dorado J, Vazquez DP, Stevani EL, Chacoff NP. Rareness and specialization in plant-pollinator networks. Ecology. 2011;92(1):19-25. https://doi.org/10.1890/10-0794.1.
  14. Dormann CF, Gruber B, Frund J. Introducing the bipartite package: analysing ecological networks. R News. 2008;8(2):8-11.
  15. Fenner M. Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities. 2nd ed. Wallingford: CABI Publishing; 2000.
  16. Fontaine C, Dajoz I, Meriguet J, Loreau M. Functional diversity of plant-pollinator interaction webs enhances the persistence of plant communities. PLoS Biol. 2006;4(1):e1. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040001.
  17. Goulson D, Nicholls E, Botias C, Rotheray EL. Bee declines driven by combined stress from parasites, pesticides, and lack of flowers. Science. 2015;347(6229):1255957. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1255957.
  18. Hegland SJ, Nielsen A, Lazaro A, Bjerknes AL, Totland O. How does climate warming affect plant-pollinator interactions? Ecol Lett. 2009;12(2):184-95. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01269.x.
  19. Jocque M, Field R, Brendonck L, De Meester L. Climatic control of dispersal-ecological specialization trade-offs: a metacommunity process at the heart of the latitudinal diversity gradient? Glob Ecol Biogeogr. 2010;19(2):244-52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00510.x.
  20. Lever JJ, van Nes EH, Scheffer M, Bascompte J. The sudden collapse of pollinator communities. Ecol Lett. 2014;17(3):350-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12236.
  21. Liu H, Liu Z, Zhang M, Bascompte J, He F, Chu C. Geographic variation in the robustness of pollination networks is mediated by modularity. Glob Ecol Biogeogr. 2021;30(7):1447-60. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13310.
  22. Novotny V, Drozd P, Miller SE, Kulfan M, Janda M, Basset Y, et al. Why are there so many species of herbivorous insects in tropical rainforests? Science. 2006;313(5790):1115-8. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1129237.
  23. Olesen JM, Jordano P. Geographic patterns in plant-pollinator mutualistic networks. Ecology. 2002;83(9):2416-24. https://doi.org/10.2307/3071803.
  24. Ollerton J, Cranmer L. Latitudinal trends in plant-pollinator interactions: are tropical plants more specialised? Oikos. 2002;98(2):340-50. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0706.2002.980215.x.
  25. Ollerton J, Erenler H, Edwards M, Crockett R. Pollinator declines. Extinctions of aculeate pollinators in Britain and the role of large-scale agricultural changes. Science. 2014;346(6215):1360-2. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1257259.
  26. Ollerton J, Steven DJ, Hingston A. Geographical variation in diversity and specificity of pollination systems. In: Waser N, Ollerton J, editors. Plant-pollinator interactions: from specialization to generalization. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 2006. p. 283-308.
  27. Ollerton J, Winfree R, Tarrant S. How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals? Oikos. 2011;120(3):321-6. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18644.x.
  28. Pauw A, Stanway R. Unrivalled specialization in a pollination network from South Africa reveals that specialization increases with latitude only in the Southern Hemisphere. J Biogeogr. 2015;42(4):652-61. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12453.
  29. Potts SG, Biesmeijer JC, Kremen C, Neumann P, Schweiger O, Kunin WE. Global pollinator declines: trends, impacts and drivers. Trends Ecol Evol. 2010;25(6):345-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2010.01.007.
  30. Potts SG, Imperatriz-Fonseca V, Ngo HT, Aizen MA, Biesmeijer JC, Breeze TD, et al. Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being. Nature. 2016;540(7632):220-9. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20588.
  31. Rahimi E, Jung C. Plant-pollinator metanetworks in fragmented landscapes: a simulation study. Ecol Process. 2023;12:29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-023-00442-z.
  32. Rahimi E, Jung C. Global trends in climate suitability of bees: ups and downs in a warming world. Insects. 2024;15(2):127. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15020127.
  33. Rodger JG, Bennett JM, Razanajatovo M, Knight TM, van Kleunen M, Ashman TL, et al. Widespread vulnerability of flowering plant seed production to pollinator declines. Sci Adv. 2021;7(42):eabd3524. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd3524.
  34. Schemske DW, Mittelbach GG, Cornell HV, Sobel JM, Roy K. Is there a latitudinal gradient in the importance of biotic interactions? Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst. 2009;40:245-69. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.39.110707.173430.
  35. Schleuning M, Frund J, Klein AM, Abrahamczyk S, Alarcon R, Albrecht M, et al. Specialization of mutualistic interaction networks decreases toward tropical latitudes. Curr Biol. 2012;22(20):1925-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.08.015.
  36. Schleuning M, Frund J, Schweiger O, Welk E, Albrecht J, Albrecht M, et al. Ecological networks are more sensitive to plant than to animal extinction under climate change. Nat Commun. 2016;7:13965. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13965.
  37. Vizentin-Bugoni J, Maruyama PK, de Souza CS, Ollerton J, Rech AR, Sazima M. Plant-pollinator networks in the tropics: a review. In: Dattilo W, Rico-Gray V, editors. Ecological networks in the tropics: an integrative overview of species interactions from some of the most species-rich habitats on earth. Cham: Springer; 2018. p. 73-91.
  38. Wang XP, Ollerton J, Prendergast KS, Cai JC, Tong MY, Shi MM, et al. The effect of elevation, latitude, and plant richness on robustness of pollination networks at a global scale. Arthropod Plant Interact. 2024;18:389-401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-024-10056-7.
  39. Weiner CN, Werner M, Linsenmair KE, Bluthgen N. Land-use impacts on plant-pollinator networks: interaction strength and specialization predict pollinator declines. Ecology. 2014;95(2):466-74. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-0436.1.
  40. Wiens JJ. The niche, biogeography and species interactions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2011;366(1576):2336-50. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2011.0059.