Shifts in pollinator population structure may jeopardize pollination service.

摘要: Plant–pollinator interactions are among the best known and ubiquitous plant–animal mutualisms crucial for ecosystem functioning maintenance of biodiversity. Most pollinators insects with several life-stages (e.g. egg, larva, pupa, adult) mutualistic interaction depends on pollinator surviving these different life-stages. However, to our knowledge, population structure has been ignored in most theoretical models plant–pollinator dynamics, we lack understanding role determining stability mutualism. Here therefore develop a simple model facultative plant an obligate stage-structure. Our predicts globally stable equilibrium when demography is dominated by adults locally plants strongly dependent pollination larval stage. In latter case, mutualism vulnerable fluctuations size or caused external factors pesticides) reducing development increasing adult mortality. This may cause sudden collapse rather than gradual decrease mutualism, after which service cannot be recovered detrimental factors, but must accompanied large increases populations. highlights importance considering interactions.