Ecological Network Rewiring and Species Coexistence Stability in Fragmented Landscapes

Habitat fragmentation modifies ecological communities not only through species losses but also through changes in the frequency, identity, spatial distribution, and functional consequences of interactions among surviving organisms. This conceptual synthesis examines ecological network rewiring as a conditional mechanism linking landscape configuration to multispecies coexistence. We distinguish interaction loss from partner switching, abundance-driven redistribution, and genuinely novel link formation, and analyze their different implications for mutualistic and antagonistic networks. Particular attention is given to patch connectivity, movement constraints, trait matching, interaction strength, and the distinction between local dynamical stability and structural feasibility. Evidence from fragmentation studies and historical plant–pollinator comparisons indicates that species persistence cannot be used as a sufficient proxy for interaction persistence. Rewiring may preserve ecosystem functions when alternative partners are compatible and adequately abundant, yet it may also redistribute competitive pressure, concentrate dependency on generalists, or mask the erosion of specialist functions. We outline a spatially explicit analytical framework that connects repeated interaction observations with landscape data, perturbation experiments, and coexistence-oriented model assessment. The resulting perspective treats rewiring neither as intrinsically adaptive nor as evidence of stability, but as a context-dependent process whose value must be established through functional and demographic outcomes.