Data from: Stochasticity leads to coexistence of generalists and specialists in assembling mutualistic communities

Previous models for assembling ecological networks did not include
stochasticity at the level of population dynamics (e.g., demographic
noise, environmental noise) and focused mainly on food webs. Here, we
present a model for the assembly of mutualistic bipartite networks, such
as plant-pollinator networks, and examine the influence of demographic
noise on the trajectory of species and strategy diversity, i.e., the range
of present strategies from specialism to generalism. We find that
assembled communities show at intermediate assembly stages a maximum of
species diversity and of average generalization. Our model thus provides a
mechanism for non-linear, hump-shaped diversity trajectories at
intermediate succession, consistent with the intermediate disturbance
hypothesis. Long-term coexistence of specialists and generalists emerges
only in the presence of demographic noise and is due to a persistent
species turnover. These findings highlight the importance of stochasticity
for maintaining long-term diversity.