As part of the INCREMENTO project, our newly published study reveals that overabundant populations of red deer (Cervus elaphus) significantly disrupt plant–pollinator networks in Mediterranean ecosystems. By experimentally manipulating deer densities, we found that high and hyper-abundance levels reduced flower availability, diminished pollinator richness, and led to a simplification of network structures, particularly by eliminating interactions involving rare, palatable plants and specialist pollinators. Although the dominant, unpalatable plant species buffered overall network stability, the loss of diversity and interaction modularity signals a concerning erosion of ecosystem complexity and resilience. These findings underscore the broader ecological consequences of ungulate overabundance and highlight the need for targeted wildlife management to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services.

More at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/3KP2S33QFVKBC6RTNXWN?target=10.1111/plb.70053