PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Eva Delmas
AU  - Mathilde Besson
AU  - Marie-Hélène Brice
AU  - Laura Burkle
AU  - Giulio V. Dalla Riva
AU  - Marie-Josée Fortin
AU  - Dominique Gravel
AU  - Paulo R Guimarães, Jr.
AU  - David Hembry
AU  - Erica Newman
AU  - Jens M. Olesen
AU  - Mathias M. Pires
AU  - Justin D. Yeakel
AU  - Timothée Poisot
TI  - Analyzing ecological networks of species interactions
AID  - 10.1101/112540
DP  - 2017 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 112540
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/05/10/112540.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/05/10/112540.full
AB  - Networks provide one of the best representations for ecological communities, composed of many species with sometimes dense connections between them. Yet the methodological literature allowing one to analyse and extract meaning from ecological networks is dense, fragmented, and unwelcoming. We provide a general overview to the field, outlining both the intent of the different measures, their assumptions, and the contexts in which they can be used. We anchor this discussion in examples from empirical studies, and conclude by highlighting what we think should be the future developments in the field.