Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions

Lucas P. Martins; Daniel B. Stouffer; Pedro G. Blendinger; Katrin Böhning-Gaese; Galo Buitrón-Jurado; Marta Correia; José Miguel Costa; D. Matthias Dehling; Camila I. Donatti; Carine Emer; Mauro Galetti; Ruben Heleno; Pedro Jordano; Ícaro Menezes; José Carlos Morante-Filho; Marcia C. Muñoz; Eike Lena Neuschulz; Marco Aurélio Pizo; Marta Quitián; Roman A. Ruggera; Francisco Saavedra; Vinicio Santillán; Virginia Sanz D’Angelo; Matthias Schleuning; Luís Pascoal da Silva; Fernanda Ribeiro da Silva; Sérgio Timóteo; Anna Traveset; Maximilian G.R. Vollstädt; Jason M. Tylianakis

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-34355-w

Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions

Lucas P. Martins, Daniel B. Stouffer, Pedro G. Blendinger, Katrin Böhning-Gaese, Galo Buitrón-Jurado, Marta Correia, José Miguel Costa, D. Matthias Dehling, Camila I. Donatti, Carine Emer, Mauro Galetti, Ruben Heleno, Pedro Jordano, Ícaro Menezes, José Carlos Morante-Filho, Marcia C. Muñoz, Eike Lena Neuschulz, Marco Aurélio Pizo, Marta Quitián, Roman A. RuggeraFrancisco Saavedra, Vinicio Santillán, Virginia Sanz D’Angelo, Matthias Schleuning, Luís Pascoal da Silva, Fernanda Ribeiro da Silva, Sérgio Timóteo, Anna Traveset, Maximilian G.R. Vollstädt, Jason M. Tylianakis

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Abstract

Species interactions can propagate disturbances across space via direct and indirect effects, potentially connecting species at a global scale. However, ecological and biogeographic boundaries may mitigate this spread by demarcating the limits of ecological networks. We tested whether large-scale ecological boundaries (ecoregions and biomes) and human disturbance gradients increase dissimilarity among plant-frugivore networks, while accounting for background spatial and elevational gradients and differences in network sampling. We assessed network dissimilarity patterns over a broad spatial scale, using 196 quantitative avian frugivory networks (encompassing 1496 plant and 1004 bird species) distributed across 67 ecoregions, 11 biomes, and 6 continents. We show that dissimilarities in species and interaction composition, but not network structure, are greater across ecoregion and biome boundaries and along different levels of human disturbance. Our findings indicate that biogeographic boundaries delineate the world’s biodiversity of interactions and likely contribute to mitigating the propagation of disturbances at large spatial scales.

Original language	English
Article number	6943
Number of pages	13
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	13
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34355-w
Publication status	Published - Dec 2022

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Martins, L. P., Stouffer, D. B., Blendinger, P. G., Böhning-Gaese, K., Buitrón-Jurado, G., Correia, M., Costa, J. M., Dehling, D. M., Donatti, C. I., Emer, C., Galetti, M., Heleno, R., Jordano, P., Menezes, Í., Morante-Filho, J. C., Muñoz, M. C., Neuschulz, E. L., Pizo, M. A., Quitián, M., ... Tylianakis, J. M. (2022). Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions. Nature Communications, 13(1), Article 6943. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34355-w

@article{b4c1561dcde84594aef41837a83730d5,

title = "Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions",

abstract = "Species interactions can propagate disturbances across space via direct and indirect effects, potentially connecting species at a global scale. However, ecological and biogeographic boundaries may mitigate this spread by demarcating the limits of ecological networks. We tested whether large-scale ecological boundaries (ecoregions and biomes) and human disturbance gradients increase dissimilarity among plant-frugivore networks, while accounting for background spatial and elevational gradients and differences in network sampling. We assessed network dissimilarity patterns over a broad spatial scale, using 196 quantitative avian frugivory networks (encompassing 1496 plant and 1004 bird species) distributed across 67 ecoregions, 11 biomes, and 6 continents. We show that dissimilarities in species and interaction composition, but not network structure, are greater across ecoregion and biome boundaries and along different levels of human disturbance. Our findings indicate that biogeographic boundaries delineate the world{\textquoteright}s biodiversity of interactions and likely contribute to mitigating the propagation of disturbances at large spatial scales.",

author = "Martins, {Lucas P.} and Stouffer, {Daniel B.} and Blendinger, {Pedro G.} and Katrin B{\"o}hning-Gaese and Galo Buitr{\'o}n-Jurado and Marta Correia and Costa, {Jos{\'e} Miguel} and Dehling, {D. Matthias} and Donatti, {Camila I.} and Carine Emer and Mauro Galetti and Ruben Heleno and Pedro Jordano and {\'I}caro Menezes and Morante-Filho, {Jos{\'e} Carlos} and Mu{\~n}oz, {Marcia C.} and Neuschulz, {Eike Lena} and Pizo, {Marco Aur{\'e}lio} and Marta Quiti{\'a}n and Ruggera, {Roman A.} and Francisco Saavedra and Vinicio Santill{\'a}n and {Sanz D{\textquoteright}Angelo}, Virginia and Matthias Schleuning and {da Silva}, {Lu{\'i}s Pascoal} and {Ribeiro da Silva}, Fernanda and S{\'e}rgio Tim{\'o}teo and Anna Traveset and Vollst{\"a}dt, {Maximilian G.R.} and Tylianakis, {Jason M.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank all the researchers in Tylianakis and Stouffer lab groups for their insightful comments on this manuscript. The authors acknowledge the following funding: University of Canterbury Doctoral Scholarship (L.P.M.); The Marsden Fund grant UOC1705 (J.M.T., L.P.M.); The S{\~a}o Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP 2014/01986-0 (M.G., C.E.), 2015/15172-7 and 2016/18355-8 (C.E.), 2004/00810-3 and 2008/10154-7 (C.I.D., M.G., M.A.P.); Earthwatch Institute and Conservation International for financial support (C.I.D., M.G., M.A.P.); Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Supporting Research in the Rio de Janeiro State – FAPERJ grant E-26/200.610/2022 (C.E.); Brazilian Research Council grants 540481/01-7 and 304742/2019-8 (M.A.P.) and 300970/2015-3 (M.G.); Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation No. 22426–1 (J.C.M., I.M.), No. 9163-1 (G.B.J.) and No. 11042-1 (MCM); Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (Propp-UESC; No. 00220.1100.1644/10-2018) (J.C.M., I.M.); Funda{\c c}{\~a}o de Amparo {\`a} Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia - FAPESB (No. 0525/2016) (J.C.M., I.M.); European Research Council under the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant 787638) and The Swiss National Science Foundation (grant 173342), both awarded to C. Graham (D.M.D.); ARC SRIEAS grant SR200100005 Securing Antarctica{\textquoteright}s Environmental Future (D.M.D.); German Science Foundation—Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft PAK 825/1 and FOR 2730 (K.B.G., E.L.N., M.Q., V.S., M.S.), FOR 1246 (K.B.G., M.S., M.G.R.V.) and HE2041/20-1 (F.S., M.S.); Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology - FCT/MCTES contract CEECIND/00135/2017 and grant UID/BIA/04004/2020 (S.T.) and contract CEECIND/02064/2017 (L.P.S.); National Scientific and Technical Research Council, PIP 592 (P.G.B.); Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cient{\'i}ficas - Project 898 (V.S.D.). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s).",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41467-022-34355-w",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "1",

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Martins, LP, Stouffer, DB, Blendinger, PG, Böhning-Gaese, K, Buitrón-Jurado, G, Correia, M, Costa, JM, Dehling, DM, Donatti, CI, Emer, C, Galetti, M, Heleno, R, Jordano, P, Menezes, Í, Morante-Filho, JC, Muñoz, MC, Neuschulz, EL, Pizo, MA, Quitián, M, Ruggera, RA, Saavedra, F, Santillán, V, Sanz D’Angelo, V, Schleuning, M, da Silva, LP, Ribeiro da Silva, F, Timóteo, S, Traveset, A, Vollstädt, MGR & Tylianakis, JM 2022, 'Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions', Nature Communications, vol. 13, no. 1, 6943. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34355-w

TY - JOUR

T1 - Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions

AU - Martins, Lucas P.

AU - Stouffer, Daniel B.

AU - Blendinger, Pedro G.

AU - Böhning-Gaese, Katrin

AU - Buitrón-Jurado, Galo

AU - Correia, Marta

AU - Costa, José Miguel

AU - Dehling, D. Matthias

AU - Donatti, Camila I.

AU - Emer, Carine

AU - Galetti, Mauro

AU - Heleno, Ruben

AU - Jordano, Pedro

AU - Menezes, Ícaro

AU - Morante-Filho, José Carlos

AU - Muñoz, Marcia C.

AU - Neuschulz, Eike Lena

AU - Pizo, Marco Aurélio

AU - Quitián, Marta

AU - Ruggera, Roman A.

AU - Saavedra, Francisco

AU - Santillán, Vinicio

AU - Sanz D’Angelo, Virginia

AU - Schleuning, Matthias

AU - da Silva, Luís Pascoal

AU - Ribeiro da Silva, Fernanda

AU - Timóteo, Sérgio

AU - Traveset, Anna

AU - Vollstädt, Maximilian G.R.

AU - Tylianakis, Jason M.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank all the researchers in Tylianakis and Stouffer lab groups for their insightful comments on this manuscript. The authors acknowledge the following funding: University of Canterbury Doctoral Scholarship (L.P.M.); The Marsden Fund grant UOC1705 (J.M.T., L.P.M.); The São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP 2014/01986-0 (M.G., C.E.), 2015/15172-7 and 2016/18355-8 (C.E.), 2004/00810-3 and 2008/10154-7 (C.I.D., M.G., M.A.P.); Earthwatch Institute and Conservation International for financial support (C.I.D., M.G., M.A.P.); Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Supporting Research in the Rio de Janeiro State – FAPERJ grant E-26/200.610/2022 (C.E.); Brazilian Research Council grants 540481/01-7 and 304742/2019-8 (M.A.P.) and 300970/2015-3 (M.G.); Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation No. 22426–1 (J.C.M., I.M.), No. 9163-1 (G.B.J.) and No. 11042-1 (MCM); Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (Propp-UESC; No. 00220.1100.1644/10-2018) (J.C.M., I.M.); Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia - FAPESB (No. 0525/2016) (J.C.M., I.M.); European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant 787638) and The Swiss National Science Foundation (grant 173342), both awarded to C. Graham (D.M.D.); ARC SRIEAS grant SR200100005 Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (D.M.D.); German Science Foundation—Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft PAK 825/1 and FOR 2730 (K.B.G., E.L.N., M.Q., V.S., M.S.), FOR 1246 (K.B.G., M.S., M.G.R.V.) and HE2041/20-1 (F.S., M.S.); Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology - FCT/MCTES contract CEECIND/00135/2017 and grant UID/BIA/04004/2020 (S.T.) and contract CEECIND/02064/2017 (L.P.S.); National Scientific and Technical Research Council, PIP 592 (P.G.B.); Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas - Project 898 (V.S.D.). Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).

PY - 2022/12

Y1 - 2022/12

N2 - Species interactions can propagate disturbances across space via direct and indirect effects, potentially connecting species at a global scale. However, ecological and biogeographic boundaries may mitigate this spread by demarcating the limits of ecological networks. We tested whether large-scale ecological boundaries (ecoregions and biomes) and human disturbance gradients increase dissimilarity among plant-frugivore networks, while accounting for background spatial and elevational gradients and differences in network sampling. We assessed network dissimilarity patterns over a broad spatial scale, using 196 quantitative avian frugivory networks (encompassing 1496 plant and 1004 bird species) distributed across 67 ecoregions, 11 biomes, and 6 continents. We show that dissimilarities in species and interaction composition, but not network structure, are greater across ecoregion and biome boundaries and along different levels of human disturbance. Our findings indicate that biogeographic boundaries delineate the world’s biodiversity of interactions and likely contribute to mitigating the propagation of disturbances at large spatial scales.

AB - Species interactions can propagate disturbances across space via direct and indirect effects, potentially connecting species at a global scale. However, ecological and biogeographic boundaries may mitigate this spread by demarcating the limits of ecological networks. We tested whether large-scale ecological boundaries (ecoregions and biomes) and human disturbance gradients increase dissimilarity among plant-frugivore networks, while accounting for background spatial and elevational gradients and differences in network sampling. We assessed network dissimilarity patterns over a broad spatial scale, using 196 quantitative avian frugivory networks (encompassing 1496 plant and 1004 bird species) distributed across 67 ecoregions, 11 biomes, and 6 continents. We show that dissimilarities in species and interaction composition, but not network structure, are greater across ecoregion and biome boundaries and along different levels of human disturbance. Our findings indicate that biogeographic boundaries delineate the world’s biodiversity of interactions and likely contribute to mitigating the propagation of disturbances at large spatial scales.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141951804&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-022-34355-w

DO - 10.1038/s41467-022-34355-w

M3 - Article

C2 - 36376314

AN - SCOPUS:85141951804

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 13

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

M1 - 6943

ER -

Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions

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Global and regional ecological boundaries explain abrupt spatial discontinuities in avian frugivory interactions

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