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Networks

  • Cang Hui
  • Pietro Landi
  • Henintsoa Onivola Minoarivelo
  • Andriamihaja Ramanantoanina
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the SpringerBriefs in Ecology book series (BRIEFSECOLOGY)

Abstract

Species are not isolated but interact with other species for survival, forming complex ecological networks, such as food webs and pollination networks. These ecological networks are self-organised in nature for ecosystem functioning, with detectable non-random network structures and architectures. The ubiquity of these structures suggests some universal mechanisms governing the persistence of each species and the functioning of the entire network. Ecological network models have thus been developed to imitate the emergence of the architecture and functioning of real-world networks. While some ecological network models consider the role of long-term coevolutionary dynamics in shaping networks of biotic interactions, others put the emphasis on the adaptability of interaction. Discussions using these models fit the ongoing debate on the relationship between network complexity and stability. This chapter introduces key metrics, models and notions for studying ecological network emergence.

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Copyright information

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  • Cang Hui
    • 1
  • Pietro Landi
    • 1
  • Henintsoa Onivola Minoarivelo
    • 1
  • Andriamihaja Ramanantoanina
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Mathematical SciencesStellenbosch UniversityStellenboschSouth Africa

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