Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems
Understanding the factors that influence the persistence and stability of complex ecological networks is a central focus of ecological research. Recent research into these factors has predominantly attempted to unveil the ecological processes and structural constraints that influence network stabili...
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| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250123 |
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| author | Miguel Lurgi Alberto Pascual-García |
| author_facet | Miguel Lurgi Alberto Pascual-García |
| author_sort | Miguel Lurgi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the factors that influence the persistence and stability of complex ecological networks is a central focus of ecological research. Recent research into these factors has predominantly attempted to unveil the ecological processes and structural constraints that influence network stability. Comparatively little attention has been given to the consequences of evolutionary events, despite the fact that the interplay between ecology and evolution has been recognized as fundamental to understand the formation of ecological communities and predict their reaction to change. We extend existing mutualistic population dynamical models by incorporating evolutionary adaptation events to address this critical gap. We relate ecological aspects of mutualistic community stability to the stability of persistent evolutionary pathways. Our findings highlight the significance of the structural stability of ecological systems in predicting biodiversity loss under both evolutionary and environmental changes, particularly in relation to species-level selection. Notably, our simulations reveal that the evolution of mutualistic networks tends to increase a network-dependent parameter termed critical competition, which places systems in a regime in which mutualistic interactions enhance structural stability and, consequently, biodiversity. This research emphasizes the pivotal role of natural selection in shaping ecological networks, steering them towards reduced effective competition below a critical threshold where mutualistic interactions foster stability in the face of environmental change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-104fbbcfdc1347669f9966f7b66bccdb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-104fbbcfdc1347669f9966f7b66bccdb2025-08-20T03:44:00ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-08-0112810.1098/rsos.250123Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystemsMiguel Lurgi0Alberto Pascual-García1Centre for Biodiversity Theory and Modelling, Experimental and Theoretical Ecology Research Station, Moulis, FranceCentro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, SpainUnderstanding the factors that influence the persistence and stability of complex ecological networks is a central focus of ecological research. Recent research into these factors has predominantly attempted to unveil the ecological processes and structural constraints that influence network stability. Comparatively little attention has been given to the consequences of evolutionary events, despite the fact that the interplay between ecology and evolution has been recognized as fundamental to understand the formation of ecological communities and predict their reaction to change. We extend existing mutualistic population dynamical models by incorporating evolutionary adaptation events to address this critical gap. We relate ecological aspects of mutualistic community stability to the stability of persistent evolutionary pathways. Our findings highlight the significance of the structural stability of ecological systems in predicting biodiversity loss under both evolutionary and environmental changes, particularly in relation to species-level selection. Notably, our simulations reveal that the evolution of mutualistic networks tends to increase a network-dependent parameter termed critical competition, which places systems in a regime in which mutualistic interactions enhance structural stability and, consequently, biodiversity. This research emphasizes the pivotal role of natural selection in shaping ecological networks, steering them towards reduced effective competition below a critical threshold where mutualistic interactions foster stability in the face of environmental change.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250123eco-evolutionary dynamicsmutualistic networksstructural stabilityevolutionary stabilitybiodiversity loss |
| spellingShingle | Miguel Lurgi Alberto Pascual-García Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems Royal Society Open Science eco-evolutionary dynamics mutualistic networks structural stability evolutionary stability biodiversity loss |
| title | Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems |
| title_full | Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems |
| title_short | Structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems |
| title_sort | structural stability estimated through critical perturbation determines evolutionary persistence in mutualistic model ecosystems |
| topic | eco-evolutionary dynamics mutualistic networks structural stability evolutionary stability biodiversity loss |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250123 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT miguellurgi structuralstabilityestimatedthroughcriticalperturbationdeterminesevolutionarypersistenceinmutualisticmodelecosystems AT albertopascualgarcia structuralstabilityestimatedthroughcriticalperturbationdeterminesevolutionarypersistenceinmutualisticmodelecosystems |