title: Ecological networks. On the structural stability of mutualistic systems.
abstract: In theoretical ecology, traditional studies based on dynamical stability and numerical simulations have not found a unified answer to the effect of network architecture on community persistence. Here, we introduce a mathematical framework based on the concept of structural stability to explain such a disparity of results. We investigated the range of conditions necessary for the stable coexistence of all species in mutualistic systems. We show that the apparently contradictory conclusions reached by previous studies arise as a consequence of overseeing either the necessary conditions for persistence or its dependence on model parameterization. We show that observed network architectures maximize the range of conditions for species coexistence. We discuss the applicability of structural stability to study other types of interspecific interactions.
authors: Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (EBD-CSIC), Calle Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain. Unit of Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
authors: Rudolf P
authors: RP
authors: Rohr
authors: Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (EBD-CSIC), Calle Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
authors: Serguei
authors: S
authors: Saavedra
authors: Integrative Ecology Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (EBD-CSIC), Calle Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain. bascompte@ebd.csic.es.
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Bascompte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017753:Ecosystem; D008954:Models, Biological; D010944:Plants; D013559:Symbiosis