New preprint on interaction networks from our group!
Do network characteristics peak mid-gradient, similar to species richness, due to simple geometry: the mid-domain effect (MDE).
We test this using simulations and real plant–pollinator and ant–plant networks.
doi.org/10.64898/202...
You might expect plants to compensate by selfing when pollinators decline. They didn’t.
Despite partial self-compatibility, there was no consistent shift towards selfing at high elevations. Reproductive assurance failed to rescue summit populations.
Pollinators were part of the story: visitation frequency and diversity declined upslope and were linked to seed production. But pollen limitation and reproductive failure weren’t explained by pollinators alone – abiotic constraints kick in hard at the top.
Take-home message: upslope range shifts under climate warming won’t automatically mean successful reproduction. Near mountaintops, plants face a double bottleneck – fewer pollinators and physiological limits. Pollination + climate must be considered together.