Robustness of plant-pollinator networks and fragmented landscapes: the role of plant breeding system and dispersal strategy on plant species persistence

• Grant number: 12/04941-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Theoretical Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Roberto Guimarães Junior
• Grantee: Julia Astegiano
• Supervisor: Cheptou Pierre-Olivier
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle & Evolutive (CEFE), France
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/09951-2 - Plant-pollinator networks robustness to habitat loss: the influence of plant reproductive systems, BP.PD

Abstract

The pollination service provided by animals is central for seed production. Plant breeding system determines the degree of dependence of plants on pollinators for pollen deposition. Therefore, by modulating species vulnerability to pollinator decline the plant's breeding system may affect species persistence in fragmented landscapes. Moreover, dispersal strategy may also influence this persistence because of its role in determining colonization ability. The aim of this proposal is to evaluate how breeding systems and dispersal strategy influence plant species persistence in fragmented landscapes, by combining mathematical models, empirical data and metrics of interaction networks. This aim will be achieved throughout the evaluation of how plant reproductive systems and dispersal strategy are associated with plant's species role in plant-pollinator networks. Indeed, we will modify the model for metacommunities in fragmented landscapes proposed by Fortuna & Bascompte (2006) to study species persistence in mutualistic networks. The new model will explicitly include the influence of plant breeding system and dispersal strategy on plant colonization and extinction rates. The dynamics of the model parameterized with empirical data will be compared to that observed in the original model (Fortuna & Bascompte 2006)-i.e. where colonization and extinction rates are assigned at random. This study may contribute to the understanding of how species biological traits modulate network robustness to habitat loss. Indeed, the results of this study may serve as theoretical basis to planning conservation strategies for a key ecosystem service such as pollination. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ASTEGIANO, JULIA; ALTERMATT, FLORIAN; MASSOL, FRANCOIS. Disentangling the co-structure of multilayer interaction networks: degree distribution and module composition in two-layer bipartite networks. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 7, NOV 13 2017. (12/04941-1, 11/09951-2)

ASTEGIANO, JULIA; SEBASTIAN-GONZALEZ, ESTHER; CASTANHO, CAMILA DE TOLEDO. Unravelling the gender productivity gap in science: a meta-analytical review. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE, v. 6, n. 6, JUN 2019. (12/04941-1, 13/02819-7, 11/09951-2, 12/09794-7, 11/17968-2)

ASTEGIANO, JULIA; MASSOL, FRANCOIS; VIDAL, MARIANA MORAIS; CHEPTOU, PIERRE-OLIVIER; GUIMARAES, JR., PAULO R.. The Robustness of Plant-Pollinator Assemblages: Linking Plant Interaction Patterns and Sensitivity to Pollinator Loss. PLoS One, v. 10, n. 2, FEB 3 2015. (09/54422-8, 12/04941-1, 10/11633-6, 11/09951-2)