Header

UZH-Logo

Maintenance Infos

Nestedness in complex networks: Observation, emergence, and implications


Mariani, Manuel; Ren, Zhuo-Ming; Bascompte, Jordi; Tessone, Claudio (2019). Nestedness in complex networks: Observation, emergence, and implications. Physics Reports, 813:1-90.

Abstract

The observed architecture of ecological and socio-economic networks differssignificantly from that of random networks. From a network science standpoint, non-random structural patterns observed in real networks call for an explanation of their emergence and an understanding of their potential systemic consequences. This article focuses on one of these patterns: nestedness. Given a network of interacting nodes, nestedness can be described as the tendency for nodes to interact with subsets of the interaction partners of better-connected nodes. Known since more than 80 years in biogeography, nestedness has been found in systems as diverse as ecological mutualistic systems, world trade, inter-organizational relations, among many others. This review article focuses on three main pillars: the existing methodologies to observe nestedness in networks; the main theoretical mechanisms conceived to explain the emergence of nestedness in ecological and socio-economic networks; the implications of a nested topology of interactions for the stability and feasibility of a given interacting system. We survey results from variegated disciplines, including statistical physics, graph theory, ecology, and theoretical economics. Nestedness was found to emerge both in bipartite networks and, more recently, in unipartite ones; this review is the first comprehensive attempt to unify both streams of studies, usually disconnected from each other. We believe that the truly interdisciplinary endeavor – while rooted in a complex systems perspective – may inspire new models and algorithms whose realm of application will undoubtedly transcend disciplinary boundaries.

Abstract

The observed architecture of ecological and socio-economic networks differssignificantly from that of random networks. From a network science standpoint, non-random structural patterns observed in real networks call for an explanation of their emergence and an understanding of their potential systemic consequences. This article focuses on one of these patterns: nestedness. Given a network of interacting nodes, nestedness can be described as the tendency for nodes to interact with subsets of the interaction partners of better-connected nodes. Known since more than 80 years in biogeography, nestedness has been found in systems as diverse as ecological mutualistic systems, world trade, inter-organizational relations, among many others. This review article focuses on three main pillars: the existing methodologies to observe nestedness in networks; the main theoretical mechanisms conceived to explain the emergence of nestedness in ecological and socio-economic networks; the implications of a nested topology of interactions for the stability and feasibility of a given interacting system. We survey results from variegated disciplines, including statistical physics, graph theory, ecology, and theoretical economics. Nestedness was found to emerge both in bipartite networks and, more recently, in unipartite ones; this review is the first comprehensive attempt to unify both streams of studies, usually disconnected from each other. We believe that the truly interdisciplinary endeavor – while rooted in a complex systems perspective – may inspire new models and algorithms whose realm of application will undoubtedly transcend disciplinary boundaries.

Statistics

Citations

Dimensions.ai Metrics
82 citations in Web of Science®
94 citations in Scopus®
Google Scholar™

Altmetrics

Downloads

166 downloads since deposited on 15 Aug 2019
71 downloads since 12 months
Detailed statistics

Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:03 Faculty of Economics > Department of Business Administration
08 Research Priority Programs > Social Networks
Dewey Decimal Classification:330 Economics
Scopus Subject Areas:Physical Sciences > General Physics and Astronomy
Language:English
Date:15 June 2019
Deposited On:15 Aug 2019 14:10
Last Modified:22 Sep 2023 01:44
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0370-1573
OA Status:Hybrid
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physrep.2019.04.001
Other Identification Number:merlin-id:17846
  • Content: Published Version
  • Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)