title: Ecological networks: delving into the architecture of biodiversity.
abstract: In recent years, the analysis of interaction networks has grown popular as a framework to explore ecological processes and the relationships between community structure and its functioning. The field has rapidly grown from its infancy to a vibrant youth, as reflected in the variety and quality of the discussions held at the first international symposium on Ecological Networks in Coimbra-Portugal (23-25 October 2013). The meeting gathered 170 scientists from 22 countries, who presented data from a broad geographical range, and covering all stages of network analyses, from sampling strategies to effective ways of communicating results, presenting new analytical tools, incorporation of temporal and spatial dynamics, new applications and visualization tools.(1) During the meeting it became evident that while many of the caveats diagnosed in early network studies are successfully being tackled, new challenges arise, attesting to the health of the discipline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Functional Ecology, University of Coimbra, , PO Box 3046, Coimbra 3001-455, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heleno
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jordano
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Traveset
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blüthgen
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Memmott
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moora
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cerdeira
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Echeverría
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Jens M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Olesen
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D004463:Ecology; D011174:Portugal
keywords: community ecology; food webs; interaction matrix; interactome; spatio-temporal network dynamics