Invasive species modulate the structure and stability of a multilayer mutualistic network.

ABSTRACT: Species interactions are critical for maintaining community structure and dynamics, but the effects of invasive species on multitrophic networks remain poorly understood. We leveraged an ongoing invasion scenario in Patagonia, Argentina, to explore how non-native ungulates affect multitrophic networks. Ungulates disrupt a hummingbird-mistletoe-marsupial keystone interaction, which alters community composition. We sampled pollination and seed dispersal interactions in intact and invaded sites. We constructed pollination and seed dispersal networks for each site, which we connected via shared plants. We calculated pollination-seed dispersal connectivity, identified clusters of highly connected species, and quantified species' roles in connecting species clusters. To link structural variation

SUBMITTER: Vitali A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10291717 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature