network

Network theory

How is a system organised. How inter-related or linked is the system. Does this have an influence upon it's structural and dynamical characterstics? Does it influence the stability of a system?

This has been a core area of study that has waxed and waned over the years but never without any real resolution.

MacArthur clearly expressed this question in a classic paper. Others have studied the problem numerically (i.e., May, Ashby, etc.). 

Current approaches are many: Patten, Ulanowicz, Oster. And many recent studies of Self-organised critical systems and small world networks are striking and deeply resonant with the stability characteristics of the most general networks.

Topology does influence the critical (synchronous) behaviour of complex middle number systems.

[This page is not complete. I will get more deeply involved with this exciting field of research in the near future ... ]

Here are some routines for network analysis implemented in the R/Splus language (they have been ported to R from the MATLAB routines, originally published by Brian D. Fath and Stuart R. Borrett (2004).