Pollination niches shift across climate gradients

Interspecific interactions vary along elevation and influence plant niches and hence species coexistence. Rare flowering species that are few in number within the community may offset competitive disadvantages in the utilization of abiotic resources through pollination advantages, thereby achieving higher reproductive fitness. However, the variation of pollination niches across different numbers of plant species along different ecological regions remains unclear. We integrated data from 91 global pollination networks and floral abundance to analyze the pollination strategies and interactions of rare species across elevational or environmental gradients.