Improving the functional connectivity of grassland networks for plant-pollinator interactions

The increased isolation of semi-natural habitats threatens biodiversity and ecosystem services by weakening key species interactions such as pollination. Despite significant conservation efforts, biodiversity keeps decreasing.

Bold biodiversity governance is thus required in landscapes beyond protected areas, focused on establishing functional plant-pollinator networks to ensure the resilience of landscape biodiversity.

FuncNet will investigate the spatio-temporal effects of habitat connectivity in grassland networks on plant-pollinator interactions.

We explore how changes between current and historic landscape configuration - investigated in detail by the Swedish partner - affect plant-pollinator diversity in well- vs. poorly-connected grassland networks, assessing the contribution of remnant grassland patches and the role of network integrity in supporting plants, pollinators and their interactions.

To clarify how plant-pollinator interactions maintain population fitness and adaptive potential, we examine pollinator visitation, fitness, genetic diversity and gene flow of an insect-pollinated, self-incompatible grassland herb as model system. We explore with stakeholders how grassland networks can be managed to secure functional plant-pollinator networks.

The project will then propose possible tools and win-win solutions for different stakeholder groups in supporting resilient semi-natural habitat networks with high biodiversity, through improved multi-actor governance.