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Node-by-node disassembly of a mutualistic interaction web driven by species introductions.

ABSTRACT: Interaction webs summarize the diverse interactions among species in communities. The addition or loss of particular species and the alteration of key interactions can lead to the disassembly of the entire interaction web, although the nontrophic effects of species loss on interaction webs are poorly understood. We took advantage of ongoing invasions by a suite of exotic species to examine their impact in terms of the disassembly of an interaction web in Patagonia, Argentina. We found that the reduction of one species (a host of a keystone mistletoe species) resulted in diverse indirect effects that led to the disassembly of an interaction web through the loss of the mistletoe, two key seed-dispersers (a marsupial and a bird), and a pollinator (hummingbird). Our results demonstrate that the gains and losses of species are both consequences and drivers of global change that can lead to underappreciated cascading coextinctions through the disruption of mutualisms.

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez-Cabal MA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3799361 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Node-by-node disassembly of a mutualistic interaction web driven by species introductions.

Rodriguez-Cabal Mariano A MA Barrios-Garcia M Noelia MN Amico Guillermo C GC Aizen Marcelo A MA Sanders Nathan J NJ

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20130925 41

Interaction webs summarize the diverse interactions among species in communities. The addition or loss of particular species and the alteration of key interactions can lead to the disassembly of the entire interaction web, although the nontrophic effects of species loss on interaction webs are poorly understood. We took advantage of ongoing invasions by a suite of exotic species to examine their impact in terms of the disassembly of an interaction web in Patagonia, Argentina. We found that the r ...[more]

PMID: 24067653

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Dataset Information

Node-by-node disassembly of a mutualistic interaction web driven by species introductions.

Publications

Node-by-node disassembly of a mutualistic interaction web driven by species introductions.

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