Modularity and specialization in bat-fly interaction networks are remarkably consistent across patches within urbanized landscapes and spatial scales.

ABSTRACT: Patterns of specialization and the structure of interactions between bats and ectoparasitic flies have been studied mostly on non-urban environments and at local scales. Thus, how anthropogenic disturbances influence species interactions and network structure in this system remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated patterns of interaction between Phyllostomidae bats and ectoparasitic Streblidae flies, and variations in network specialization and structure across Cerrado patches within urbanized landscapes in Brazil and between local and regional scales. We found high similarity in the richness and composition of bat and fly species across communities, associated with low turnover of interactions between networks. The high specialization of bat-streblid interactions resulted in little

SUBMITTER: Urbieta GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8489009 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature