Network theory has become a fundamental conceptual framework and analytical tool in ecological research by facilitating our understanding of the interactions between individuals or species in nature. Today, the application of network theory to single communities or ecosystems is a common approach for ecologists working on different environments, allowing them to disentangle the complex processes involved in antagonistic or mutualistic interactions. Nowadays, we can find several studies analyzing the topological and statistical properties of ecological networks and linking the results to biological features like species richness or functional diversity. However, the presence and strength of the ecological interactions tends to oscillate over time and space, influencing the structure and organization of the communities and in some cases generating complex dynamics. The ecological mechanisms that promote this variability can encompass different scales and ecological hierarchies from animal behavior.
In this vein, the explicit incorporation of space in ecological networks analysis turns into a necessary next step in ecological research. In this Research Topic, we aim to collect studies looking for detection and evaluation of patterns and processes in ecological networks with an explicit spatial representation. We welcome contributions using theoretical or empirical approaches to improve our understanding of spatial networks. Valuable contributions may include the analysis of spatial networks or the relationship between the variance in network topology and spatial heterogeneity.
Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited, to:
• Variability of ecological networks over environmental gradients.
• The role of migration and environmental filtering in the structure and dynamics of spatial ecological networks.
• Spatial variability of networks topology.
• Scaling of ecological networks.
• Species turnover over continental scales.
• Multilayer perspectives for ecological networks.
• Network perspectives in the plant and animal use of landscape.
Network theory has become a fundamental conceptual framework and analytical tool in ecological research by facilitating our understanding of the interactions between individuals or species in nature. Today, the application of network theory to single communities or ecosystems is a common approach for ecologists working on different environments, allowing them to disentangle the complex processes involved in antagonistic or mutualistic interactions. Nowadays, we can find several studies analyzing the topological and statistical properties of ecological networks and linking the results to biological features like species richness or functional diversity. However, the presence and strength of the ecological interactions tends to oscillate over time and space, influencing the structure and organization of the communities and in some cases generating complex dynamics. The ecological mechanisms that promote this variability can encompass different scales and ecological hierarchies from animal behavior.
In this vein, the explicit incorporation of space in ecological networks analysis turns into a necessary next step in ecological research. In this Research Topic, we aim to collect studies looking for detection and evaluation of patterns and processes in ecological networks with an explicit spatial representation. We welcome contributions using theoretical or empirical approaches to improve our understanding of spatial networks. Valuable contributions may include the analysis of spatial networks or the relationship between the variance in network topology and spatial heterogeneity.
Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited, to:
• Variability of ecological networks over environmental gradients.
• The role of migration and environmental filtering in the structure and dynamics of spatial ecological networks.
• Spatial variability of networks topology.
• Scaling of ecological networks.
• Species turnover over continental scales.
• Multilayer perspectives for ecological networks.
• Network perspectives in the plant and animal use of landscape.