Relative stability of core groups in pollination networks in a biodiversity hotspot over four years.

ABSTRACT: Plants and their pollinators form pollination networks integral to the evolution and persistence of species in communities. Previous studies suggest that pollination network structure remains nested while network composition is highly dynamic. However, little is known about temporal variation in the structure and function of plant-pollinator networks, especially in species-rich communities where the strength of pollinator competition is predicted to be high. Here we quantify temporal variation of pollination networks over four consecutive years in an alpine meadow in the Hengduan Mountains biodiversity hotspot in China. We found that ranked positions and idiosyncratic temperatures of both plants and pollinators were more conservative between consecutive years than in non-consecutive years.

SUBMITTER: Fang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3297609 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature