| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Maia, Kate Pereira
;
Guimaraes Jr, Paulo Roberto
Total Authors: 2
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | ECOLOGY LETTERS; v. 27, n. 9, p. 11-pg., 2024-09-01. |
| Abstract | |
In ecological networks, cohesive groups of species may shape the evolution of interactions, serving as coevolutionary units. Ranging across network scales, from motifs to isolated components, elucidating which cohesive groups are more determinant for coevolution remains a challenge in ecology. We address this challenge by integrating 376 empirical mutualistic and antagonistic networks and coevolutionary models. We identified cohesive groups at four network scales containing a significant proportion of potential direct coevolutionary effects. Cohesive groups displayed hierarchical organisation, and potential coevolutionary effects overflowing lower-scale groups were contained by higher-scale groups, underscoring the hierarchy's impact. However, indirect coevolutionary effects blurred group boundaries and hierarchy, particularly under strong selection from ecological interactions. Thus, under strong selection, indirect effects render networks themselves, and not cohesive groups, as the likely coevolutionary units of ecological systems. We hypothesise hierarchical cohesive groups to also shape how other forms of direct and indirect effects propagate in ecological systems. We test the long-standing evolutionary ecology hypothesis that modules represent coevolutionary units in ecological networks and expand it to include cohesive species groups across network scales. We found potential coevolutionary units to be hierarchically organised in ecological networks. When selection imposed by ecological interactions is strong, however, indirect effects render networks themselves, and not cohesive groups, as the likely coevolutionary units of ecological systems.image (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 18/14809-0 - Evolutionary dynamics in ecological networks |
| Grantee: | Paulo Roberto Guimarães Junior |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2 |
| FAPESP's process: | 19/21732-6 - The role of genetic constraints on the coevolutionary process |
| Grantee: | Kate Pereira Maia |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral |