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Irreversible processes in ecological networks

Fernanda Valdovinos (Univ. Michigan)

    Inspired by the exciting topic of this workshop, my talk will present research by my group that have found irreversible processes in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of species-interaction networks. The first work I will present evaluates the interplay between the structure and dynamics of plant-pollinator networks when population and behavioral dynamics are incorporated in more mechanistic models of those networks. I will focus on the irreversible dynamics caused by adaptive foraging that may explain why we only observe moderately connected plant-pollinator networks in nature even when pollinator would benefit from fully connected networks. The second work I will present predicts the invasion success of pollinators in plant-pollinator networks and their subsequent impacts on natives. I will focus on the impacts that can and cannot be reversed by restoration practices seeking to remove the invasive species. The third work I will present evaluates the interplay between economic and ecological dynamics governing fishing effort in harvested food webs. I will focus on the irreversible transients that cause a fisheries industry to either thrive or collapse, the harvested species to either go extinct or persist, and food webs to suffer either dramatic cascade extinctions or sustainable harvest. Finally, I will present our work on the evolution of food webs integrating population, speciation and invasion dynamics over evolutionary timescale. I will focus on the irreversible extinctions patterns and whether the specialization tendency found can be reversed by increasing the frequency of perturbations. In my presentation of each of those four projects I will share with you what I still do not understand to hopefully ignite insightful discussion on the specific subjects.

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