Robustness of global ecological networks mediated by modularity and asymmetry

One of the major challenges in ecology is to characterize the architecture of bipartite ecological networks and understand how this architecture influences the robustness and resilience of the networks against species loss. To address this challenge, we employed a comprehensive dataset of 462 mutualistic networks (fruit-frugivore, plant-pollinator) and 287 antagonistic networks (prey-predator, host-parasite). Although we failed to distinguish between antagonistic and mutualistic networks based on structural metrics, fruit-frugivore networks did display some distinct features compared to other bipartite networks. Regardless of interaction ecology, modularity, asymmetric specialization, and specialization asymmetry reduce overall network robustness. In contrast, web asymmetry contributes significantly to maintaining strong ecological interactions in the face of disruptions. Ultimately, modularity and asymmetry work in synergy to modify global ecological networks and alter their resilience against external pressures such as environmental changes or species loss.