Mutualistic networks

The mutually beneficial interactions between plants and their animal pollinators and seed dispersers form complex networks of species interdependence. Until very recently, the complexity of these networks precluded a community-wide approach to the investigation of mutualism. However, recent studies using tools and concepts from physics and sociology have allowed the exploration of this complexity within a rational framework. Regardless of differences across sites or species composition, networks of mutual benefit have a similar structure. Describing these network patterns is important for understanding both the generation of biodiversity and its responses to anthropogenic disturbances, such as habitat loss and species extinctions. This network approach is currently being applied to restoration ecology, biological invasions, and the conservation of endangered species.