When is an ecological network complex? Connectance drives degree distribution and emerging network properties

Connectance and degree distributions are important components of the structure of ecological networks. In this contribution, We use a statistical argument and p1e network generating models to show that properties the degree distribution are driven by network connectance. We discuss the consequences of this finding for (1) the generation of random network in null-model analyses, and (2) the inter-pretation of network structure and ecosystem properties relationship with degree distribution.