  Nested structure, which is non-random, controls cooperation dynamics and
biodiversity in plant-animal mutualistic networks. This structural pattern has
been explained in a static (non-growth) network models. However, evolutionary
processes might also influence the formation of such a structural pattern. We
thereby propose an evolving network model for plant-animal interactions and
show that non-random patterns such as nested structure and heterogeneous
connectivity are both qualitatively and quantitatively predicted through simple
evolutionary processes. This finding implies that network models can be
simplified by considering evolutionary processes, and also that another
explanation exists for the emergence of non-random patterns and might provide
more comprehensible insights into the formation of plant-animal mutualistic
networks from the evolutionary perspective.
