Data for: Integration of an invasive plant in hummingbird and flower mite networks is driven by ecological fitting and generalization

Most plant communities worldwide include exotic plants, which did not evolve with local organisms. The central goal of this study is to test if native organisms expanding to novel hosts are usually generalists or specialists. Here we studied a new association between hummingbirds, flower mites, and Musa velutina (Musaceae), an exotic plant native to Asia currently invading lowland forests in Costa Rica. Hummingbirds are pollinators, but flower mites feed on nectar without contributing to pollen transfer. Flower mites hitch rides on hummingbird beaks to colonize new flowers. To determine the original diet breadth of hummingbird and flower mite species, we assembled interaction networks including 33 native host plants, 14 hummingbird and 19 flower mite species. Transportation analyses show that flower mites’ colonization of native or exotic hosts is not constrained by hummingbird flight connections. We identified four hummingbird species visiting Musa velutina. DNA barcode analyses i..., Hummingbird plant interactions were recorded by combining data collected in this study with published records. Hummingbird flower mite interactions with host plants were identified by sequencing the DNA barcode CO1. Hummingbird visits to Musa velutina (Musaceae) were recorded using camera traps., , # Data for: Integration of an invasive plant in hummingbird and flower mite networks is driven by ecological fitting and generalization

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9kd51c5t1](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9kd51c5t1)

## Description of the data and file structure

Garcia-Robledo_Alvarado_Readme file generated on 2024-Oct-12

## GENERAL INFORMATION

Date of data collection: 2023-2024

Geographic location of data collection: La Selva Biological Station, Puerto Viejo, Sarapaqui, Costa Rica

## DATA & FILE OVERVIEW

#### File list

* A_Data_Hand_infloresc_Musa_velutina_Oct_24_2023.csv: number of female and male hands in inflorescences of *Musa velutina.*
* B_Matrix_humming_plants_Dec_02_2023.csv: Qualitative interaction matrix, presence/absence of hummingbird species visiting each plant species
* C_Matrix_flower_mite_plants_2024.csv: Qualitative interaction matrix, presence/absence of flower mite species visiting each plant species
* D_hummingbird connections pairs of plants.csv: Number ...,