A macroecological perspective on antagonistic interactions through the lens of ecological networks

Abstract

Several biotic and abiotic factors change across time and space, which may directly affect not only the distribution and abundance of species but also other dimensions of biodiversity such as ecological functions and biotic interactions. Over such spatial and temporal gradients, interactions among species form complex ecological networks with emergent properties that cannot be observed at the species or community level. The properties of species interaction networks can be associated with geographical as well as climatic gradients and be shaped by different ecological and evolutionary processes such as dispersal capacity and evolutionary history of the interacting species. In this chapter, we first introduce the reader to the macroecological and ecological network approaches and then review how these approaches have been applied to study antagonistic interactions. In doing so, we highlight how these two approaches have advanced our understanding of broad-scale patterns of antagonistic interactions. Finally, we discuss future perspectives for the combined application of macroecology and ecological networks to the study of antagonistic interactions.