Pollinator foraging flexibility mediates rapid plant-pollinator network restoration in semi-natural grasslands.

ABSTRACT: We examined how plant-pollinator interactions were affected by time since habitat restoration and landscape connectivity by comparing plant-pollinator networks in restored, abandoned and continuously grazed semi-natural pastures in south-central Sweden. We measured richness of flowering plants and pollinators, and local plant-pollinator network characteristics including species composition as well as the number and identity of interactions, allowing a deeper understanding of species and interaction beta diversity. Pollinator richness and abundance were highest in restored grasslands. They successfully resembled continuously grazed grasslands. However, the turnover of interactions was extremely high among pasture categories (0.99) mainly due to high turnover of plant (0.74) and pollinator s

SUBMITTER: Noreika N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6820780 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature