Heterogeneity in ecological mutualistic networks dominantly determines community stability.

ABSTRACT: Although the hypothesis that nestedness determines mutualistic ecosystem dynamics is accepted in general, results of some recent data analyses and theoretical studies have begun to cast doubt on the impact of nestedness on ecosystem stability. However, definite conclusions have not yet been reached because previous studies are mainly based on numerical simulations. Therefore, we reveal a mathematical architecture in the relationship between ecological mutualistic networks and local stability based on spectral graph analysis. In particular, we propose a theoretical method for estimating the dominant eigenvalue (i.e., spectral radius) of quantitative (or weighted) bipartite networks by extending spectral graph theory, and provide a theoretical prediction that the heterogeneity of node degree

SUBMITTER: Feng W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4118322 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature