Different functional mechanisms modulate the structure and evolutionary dynamics of antagonistic and mutualistic networks

GUIMARAES JR, PR; ANDREAZZI C; ASTEGIANO J

Zurich

Simposio; Interaction networks and trait evolution (New Phytologist Symposia); 2019

A central problem in the study of species interactions is to understand the underlyingecological and evolutionary mechanisms shaping the network organization of speciesassemblages. These mechanisms describe the effect of physiological, morphologicaland life-history traits on the outcome of ecological interactions. Because ecologicalinteractions may affect individual fitness, species traits are not only the drivers but alsothe outcomes of coevolutionary dynamics. Here, we build an adaptive network model toexplore the potential role of coevolution by two functional mechanisms, trait matchingand exploitation barrier, in driving the structure and evolutionary dynamics ofantagonistic and mutualistic assemblages.