Are hummingbirds generalists or specialists? Using network analysis to explore the mechanisms influencing their interaction with nectar resources

PloS One
Claudia I Rodríguez-FloresMaría Del Coro Arizmendi

Abstract

Mutualistic interactions are powerful drivers of biodiversity on Earth that can be represented as complex interaction networks that vary in connection pattern and intensity. One of the most fascinating mutualisms is the interaction between hummingbirds and the plants they visit. We conducted an exhaustive search for articles, theses, reports, and personal communications with researchers (unpublished data) documenting hummingbird visits to flowers of nectar-rewarding plants. Based on information gathered from 4532 interactions between 292 hummingbird species and 1287 plant species, we built an interaction network between nine hummingbird clades and 100 plant families used by hummingbirds as nectar resources at a continental scale. We explored the network architecture, including phylogenetic, morphological, biogeographical, and distributional information. As expected, the network between hummingbirds and their nectar plants was heterogeneous and nested, but not modular. When we incorporated ecological and historical information in the network nodes, we found a generalization gradient in hummingbird morphology and interaction patterns. The hummingbird clades that most recently diversified in North America acted as generalist nodes...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 11, 2020·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Ben D SparrowAndrew J Lowe
Sep 1, 2020·PLoS Biology·Benno I SimmonsVasilis Dakos
Mar 5, 2020·Ecology and Evolution·Štěpán JanečekFrancis Luma Ewome
Jun 12, 2021·Integrative and Comparative Biology·A J SargentA Rico-Guevara
Jan 15, 2022·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Kara G LeimbergerMatthew G Betts

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Software Mentioned

R
brainwaver
car
R Development Core Team
ape package
ANINHADO
Phylomatic
vegan
JSTOR
multcomp

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