Effects of different types of low‐intensity management on plant‐pollinator interactions in Estonian grasslands. Issue 23 (22nd November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Motivans Švara, Elena; Ştefan, Valentin; Sossai, Esther; Feldmann, Reinart; Aguilon, Dianne Joy; Bontsutsnaja, Anna; E‐Vojtkó, Anna; Kilian, Isabel C.; Lang, Piret; Mõtlep, Marilin; Prangel, Elisabeth; Viljur, Mari‐Liis; Knight, Tiffany M.; Neuenkamp, Lena
• Is Part Of: Ecology and evolution. Volume 11:Issue 23(2021)
• Page Start: 16909
• Page End: 16926
• Publication Date: 2021-11-22
• Subjects: biodiversity -- conservation -- land use -- plant−pollinator networks -- seminatural grasslands; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8325
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-7758

Abstract

Abstract: In the face of global pollinator decline, extensively managed grasslands play an important role in supporting stable pollinator communities. However, different types of extensive management may promote particular plant species and thus particular functional traits. As the functional traits of flowering plant species (e.g., flower size and shape) in a habitat help determine the identity and frequency of pollinator visitors, they can also influence the structures of plant−pollinator interaction networks (i.e., pollination networks). The aim of this study was to examine how the type of low‐intensity traditional management influences plant and pollinator composition, the structure of plant−pollinator interactions, and their mediation by floral and insect functional traits. Specifically, we compared mown wooded meadows to grazed alvar pastures in western Estonia. We found that both management types fostered equal diversity of plants and pollinators, and overlapping, though still distinct, plant and pollinator compositions. Wooded meadow pollination networks had significantly higher connectance and specialization, while alvar pasture networks achieved higher interaction diversity at a standardized sampling of interactions. Pollinators with small body sizes and short proboscis lengths were more specialized in their preference for particular plant species and the specialization of individual pollinators was higher in alvar pastures than in wooded meadows. All in all, the two management types promoted diverse plant and pollinator communities, which enabled the development of equally even and nested pollination networks. The same generalist plant and pollinator species were important for the pollination networks of both wooded meadows and alvar pastures; however, they were complemented by management‐specific species, which accounted for differences in network structure. Therefore, the implementation of both management types in the same landscape helps to maintain high species and interaction diversity. Abstract : We studied whether mown and grazed grasslands have different pollination network structures. We found higher network‐level connectance and specialization in mown sites and higher network‐level interaction diversity in the grazed sites. The same generalist plants and pollinators were important for the pollination networks of both mown and grazed sites; however, they were complemented by management‐specific species, which accounted for differences in network structure.