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The architecture of antagonistic networks
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613880886231040 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Nuwagaba, Savannah |
| author2 | Hui, Cang |
| author_browse | Hui, Cang Nuwagaba, Savannah |
| author_facet | Hui, Cang Nuwagaba, Savannah |
| author_sort | Nuwagaba, Savannah |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/79849 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:10.408Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/79849 The architecture of antagonistic networks Nuwagaba, Savannah Hui, Cang Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Department of Mathematical Sciences. Antagonism -- Ecology -- Mathematical models Antagonistic networks-- Mathematical models Environment -- Adaptive processes Species diversity Competition (Biology) -- Mathematical models UCTD Ecosystems -- Mathematical models Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Designing a mechanistic model that can give rise to realistic architecture of ecological networks is central to the understanding of how species assemble and function in ecosystems. As species are constantly adjusting their diets in an antagonistic network, we here incorporate this adaptive behaviour of diet choice into a bipartite network model, with the effect of antagonistic interactions between species depicted by Holling’s type II functional response. Predictions of this model fit extremely well with the observed levels of nestedness, modularity and node-degree distributions for 61 real host-parasitoid and plant-herbivore networks. We further examined two specific scenarios of our model (species with identical [neutral] demographic parameters and interactions with identical [neutral] benefit in the network) and found that the demography-neutral scenario overestimated observed modularity, whilst the benefit-neutral scenario over-estimate observed nestedness. Relationships between nestedness, modularity and connectance were found strong. Moreover, in contrast to the common belief of the high modularity in antagonistic networks, most real networks (> 80%) are significantly nested, whilst nearly 40% of the real networks are surprisingly less compartmentalized than random networks generated from null models. Regardless of the controversy on whether antagonistic networks are nested or compartmentalized, the proposed model captured the essence of the dynamic nature of structural emergence in antagonistic networks. Due to its predictive power, this model was further used to investigate robustness in antagonistic networks. Predictions showed that the robustness of a network is determined by many factors, such as connectance, resource degree distribution, resource-consumer ratio, diversity, nestedness and compartmentalisation. Surprisingly, the manner of network response to species loss was independent of the sequence followed while removing species from a network. Variations were only noticed in the intensity of the effect resulting from the removals. In addition, we also showed that species extinction procedures which ignore the interaction switch underestimate the effect of any loss of species in these networks. We must therefore value our knowledge of possible adaptive processes in the ecosystem as they may be important for resolving the diversity-stability debate. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwerp van ’n meganistiese model wat aanleiding kan gee tot realistiese argitektuur van ekologiese netwerke is sentraal tot die begrip van hoe spesies bymekaar kom en funksioneer in ekosisteme. Soos spesies voortdurend hul dieet aanpas in ’n antagonistiese netwerk, het ons hierdie aanpasbare gedrag van dieet keuse in ’n bipartiet netwerk model ingewerk, met die effek van antagonistiese interaksies tussen spesies wat uitgebeeld word deur Holling se tipe II funksionele reaksie. Voorspellings van hierdie model pas baie goed met die waargenome vlakke van nestedness, modulariteit en node-graad uitkerings vir 61 ware gasheer-parasiet en plant-herbivoor netwerke. Verder het ons twee spesifieke gevalle van ons model (spesies met identiese [neutrale] demografiese parameters en interaksies met identiese [neutrale] voordeel in die netwerk) ondersoek en gevind dat die demografie-neutrale geval waargenome modulariteit oorskat, terwyl die voordeelneutraal geval waargenome nestedness oorskat. Verhoudings tussen nestedness, modulariteit en konnektiwiteit is sterk bevind. Verder, in teenstelling met die algemene verwagting van hoe modulariteit in antagonistiese netwerke, is oorhoofse werklike netwerke (> 80%) aansienlik geneste, terwyl byna 40% van die werklike netwerke is verbasend minder gekompartimenteerd as ewekansige netwerke gegenereer uit null modelle. Ongeag van die omstredenheid oor of antagonistiese netwerke geneste of gekompartimenteerd is, die voorgestelde model vang die essensie van die dinamiese aard van die strukturele opkoms in antagonistiese netwerke. As gevolg van sy voorspellende krag, is hierdie model verder gebruik om robuustheid te ondersoek in antagonistiese netwerke. Voorspellings het getoon dat die robuustheid van ’n netwerk word bepaal deur verskeie faktore, soos konnektiwiteit, hulpbron-graad verspreiding, hulpbron-verbruiker verhouding, diversiteit, nestedness en kompartementasie. Verrassend, die wyse van die netwerk reaksie op die verlies van spesies was onafhanklik van die reeks wat gevolg het toe die spesies verwyder is uit ’n netwerk. Variasies is slegs opgemerk in die intensiteit van die effek van die verskuiwings. Benewens, ons het ook aangetoon dat die prosedures van spesies se uitsterwing wat die interaksie skakelaar geignoreer het, onderskat die effek van ’n verlies van spesies in hierdie netwerke. Ons moet dus die waarde van ons kennis van die moontlike aanpassing prosesse in die ekosisteem in agneem, aangesien dit belangrik kan wees vir die oplossing van die diversiteit-stabiliteit debat. 2013-02-25T14:23:19Z 2013-03-15T07:23:09Z 2016-12-31T03:00:06Z 2013-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/79849 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xi, 95 pages : illustrations application/pdf application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Antagonism -- Ecology -- Mathematical models Antagonistic networks-- Mathematical models Environment -- Adaptive processes Species diversity Competition (Biology) -- Mathematical models UCTD Ecosystems -- Mathematical models Nuwagaba, Savannah The architecture of antagonistic networks |
| title | The architecture of antagonistic networks |
| title_full | The architecture of antagonistic networks |
| title_fullStr | The architecture of antagonistic networks |
| title_full_unstemmed | The architecture of antagonistic networks |
| title_short | The architecture of antagonistic networks |
| title_sort | architecture of antagonistic networks |
| topic | Antagonism -- Ecology -- Mathematical models Antagonistic networks-- Mathematical models Environment -- Adaptive processes Species diversity Competition (Biology) -- Mathematical models UCTD Ecosystems -- Mathematical models |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/79849 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nuwagabasavannah thearchitectureofantagonisticnetworks AT nuwagabasavannah architectureofantagonisticnetworks |