Journal
PHYSICS REPORTS-REVIEW SECTION OF PHYSICS LETTERS
Volume 813, Issue -, Pages 1-90Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.physrep.2019.04.001
Keywords
Complex systems; Socio-economic networks; Ecological networks; Nestedness; Economic complexity; Emergence
Categories
Funding
- Science Strength Promotion Program of UESTC
- URPP Social Networks
- Swiss National Science Foundation [200021-182659, 31003A-169671]
- UESTC professor research start-up [ZYGX2018KYQD21]
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [61803137]
- Hangzhou Normal University
- Qiantang River Talents Plan [QJD1803005]
- Foundation of High level overseas returnees (team) in Hangzhou for Pioneering Innovation Program
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [200021_182659, 31003A_169671] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
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The observed architecture of ecological and socio-economic networks differs significantly 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. (C) 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
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