Data and code for: Evolutionarily distinct species in frugivore networks have fewer links and more specialized partners

Ecological networks describe the complex set of interconnections among
species and their environment, and network structure can inform the
stability, resilience, and functioning of ecosystems. Increasing attention
is being paid to the mechanisms that determine species interactions.
Phylogeny has informed our understanding of connections within networks,
mostly by describing the strength of phylogenetic conservation of
interactions. Here, we examine how the phylogenetic position of a species
relates to its functional position within a network, testing the
relationship between phylogenetic and network topologies. Time
period: Early 20th century to present. We used a large dataset of
frugivore interactions to calculate partner degree and degree, and bird
and plant phylogenies to calculate local evolutionary distinctiveness
(ED), evolutionary distinctiveness calculated on a community-level
phylogeny. We then fit binomial Bayesian models to estimate the effect of
evolutionary distinctiveness on partner degree and degree, comparing the
effects of known bird traits from AVONET. The partners of both high ED
birds and plants are less likely to interact with other members of the
community, and birds with high ED tend to interact with fewer plant
species. In birds, the effect size of ED is comparable to or larger than
measured bird traits. Our analysis illustrates how phylogenetic
relationships affect present-day ecologies and underscores the unique
ecological contribution of evolutionary outliers.