Interaction networks are typically presented and analyzed as compiled observations over multiple time periods or sites but decomposing networks into their spatiotemporal components can give us insights into to ecology and evolution of these systems. For example, understanding which interactions are spatially widespead or temporally stable (and conversely which are dynamic) has important implications for understanding potential for coevolution, as well as stability of these systems and resistance and resilience to human stressors like climate change. Our work on this topic has been from the the Monte desert at the foothills of the Andes in Argentina, work done in collaboration with Diego Vázquez (IADIZA, CONICET, Argentina) and Natacha Chacoff (IER, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina) and another in the a subalpine meadow in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains at University of Colorado’s Mountain Research Station.
Relevant publications:
- Resasco J, Chacoff NP, and Vázquez DP (2021) Plant-pollinator interactions between generalists persist over time and space. Ecology. in press.
- CaraDonna PJ, Burkle LA, Schwarz B, Resasco J, Knight T, Benadi G, Blüthgen N, Dormann CF, Fang Q, Fründ J, Gauzens B, Kaiser-Bunbury C, Winfree R, and Vázquez DP (2021) Seeing through the static: the temporal dimension of plant–animal mutualistic interactions. Ecology Letters 24: 149-161.
- Schwarz B, Vázquez DP, CaraDonna PJ, Knight TM, Benadi G, Dormann CF, Gauzens B, Motivans E, Resasco J, Blüthgen N, Burkle LA, Fang Q, Kaiser-Bunbury CN, Alarcón R, Bain JA, Chacoff NP, Huang S-Q, LeBuhn G, MacLeod M, Petanidou T, Rasmussen C, Simanonok MP, Thompson AH, and Fründ J (2020) Temporal scale-dependence of plant-pollinator networks. Oikos 129: 1271-1439.
- Chacoff NP, Resasco J, and Vázquez DP (2018) Interaction frequency, network position, and the temporal persistence of interactions in a plant-pollinator network. Ecology 99(1): 21-28.