Mutualism Network — Pollinator-Plant Nested Structure

Bipartite pollinator-plant interaction network showing nestedness: generalists interact with specialists' partners too.

Network Parameters

Nestedness (Bascompte et al. 2003): real mutualistic networks are significantly more nested than random. Generalists form a core; specialists interact only with generalists. This architecture increases biodiversity and robustness to extinction cascades.

NODF metric: 1=perfectly nested, 0=random. High nestedness → nested collapse order protects specialists.