The robustness and restoration of a network of ecological networks

Pocock, Michael J.O. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4375-0445; Evans, Darren, M.; Memmott, Jane. 2012 The robustness and restoration of a network of ecological networks. Science, 335 (6071). 973-977. 10.1126/science.1214915

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Official URL: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/335/6071/973

Abstract/Summary

Understanding species’ interactions and the robustness of interaction networks to species loss is essential to understand the effects of species’ declines and extinctions. In most studies, different types of networks (such as food webs, parasitoid webs, seed dispersal networks, and pollination networks) have been studied separately. We sampled such multiple networks simultaneously in an agroecosystem. We show that the networks varied in their robustness; networks including pollinators appeared to be particularly fragile. We show that, overall, networks did not strongly covary in their robustness, which suggests that ecological restoration (for example, through agri-environment schemes) benefitting one functional group will not inevitably benefit others. Some individual plant species were disproportionately well linked to many other species. This type of information can be used in restoration management, because it identifies the plant taxa that can potentially lead to disproportionate gains in biodiversity.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1126/science.1214915
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 2 - Ecological Processes in the Environment > BD - 2.4 - Estimate the impact of the main drivers and pressures on biodiversity ...
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Pywell
ISSN:	0036-8075
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	This document is the author’s final manuscript version of the journal article following the peer review process. Some differences between this and the publisher’s version may remain. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from this article. The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencemag.org/
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	04 May 2012 13:28 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/17964

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1126/science.1214915

Programmes:

CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity > BD Topic 2 - Ecological Processes in the Environment > BD - 2.4 - Estimate the impact of the main drivers and pressures on biodiversity ...

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Pywell

ISSN:

0036-8075

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

This document is the author’s final manuscript version of the journal article following the peer review process. Some differences between this and the publisher’s version may remain. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from this article. The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencemag.org/

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment

Date made live:

04 May 2012 13:28 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/17964