Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026
10:16
Promoter Capture Hi-C: High-resolution, Genome-wide Profiling of Promoter Interactions
Published on: June 28, 2018
33.4K
Interaction strength promotes robustness against cascading effects in mutualistic networks.
Marília P Gaiarsa1, Paulo R Guimarães2
1Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil. gaiarsa.mp@gmail.com.
Scientific Reports
|January 26, 2019
Summary
Ecological network structure and interaction strengths significantly impact ecosystem robustness to perturbations. Incorporating interaction strength increases robustness, with richness, modularity, and nestedness playing key roles.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Ecological Network Analysis
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Perturbations can cascade through species assemblages via ecological interactions.
- Network structure influences the spread of these cascading effects.
- The role of interaction strengths in mediating these cascades remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how interaction strengths influence network robustness to cascading effects in mutualistic interactions.
- To examine the role of network structure in mediating perturbation cascades when interaction strength is incorporated.
- To determine the impact of network properties on perturbation spreading time.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 18 empirical mutualistic networks.
- Inclusion of interaction strengths in simulation scenarios.
- Application of network theory to assess perturbation spreading time.
Main Results:
- Simulations incorporating interaction strength showed increased mean perturbation spreading time, indicating enhanced network robustness.
- Species richness, modularity, and nestedness positively affected mean perturbation spreading time, irrespective of interaction strengths.
- Both network structure and the distribution of interaction strengths were found to influence community robustness to perturbation spreading.
Conclusions:
- Interaction strength is a critical factor in determining ecosystem robustness against cascading perturbations.
- Network structure, particularly richness, modularity, and nestedness, significantly enhances ecosystem resilience.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for addressing the risks posed by species and interaction extinctions in ecosystems.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Ionic Strength: Effects on Chemical Equilibria
2.6K
The addition of an inert ionic compound increases the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt. For example, adding potassium nitrate to a saturated solution of calcium sulfate significantly enhances the solubility of calcium sulfate. Le Châtelier's principle cannot predict this shift in the equilibrium. Instead, this could be explained in terms of changes in the effective concentration of the ions in solution in the presence of added inert salt.
In this solution, the primary...
In this solution, the primary...
2.6K
01:24Intracellular Signaling Cascades
53.5K
Once a ligand binds to a receptor, the signal is transmitted through the membrane and into the cytoplasm. The continuation of a signal in this manner is called signal transduction. Signal transduction only occurs with cell-surface receptors, which cannot interact with most components of the cell, such as DNA. Only internal receptors can interact directly with DNA in the nucleus to initiate protein synthesis. When a ligand binds to its receptor, conformational changes occur that affect the...
53.5K
01:25Rab Cascades
3.6K
Rab GTPases act in a regulated cascade during membrane fusion, helping the lipid bilayers mix. The Rab family of proteins are active when bound to GTP, and inactive when bound to GDP. Hence, they act as guanine nucleotide-dependent molecular switches. Rab-GTP recognizes and binds to long or short-range tethering proteins to capture the target vesicle. These tethers coordinate with SNAREs on the vesicle and the target membrane to assemble the trans SNARE complex that locks the mixing bilayers.
3.6K
02:26Protein Networks
4.5K
An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
4.5K
02:18The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength
15.0K
The equilibrium binding constant (Kb) quantifies the strength of a protein-ligand interaction. Kb can be calculated as follows when the reaction is at equilibrium:
15.0K
03:05Acid Strength and Molecular Structure
33.0K
Binary Acids and Bases
In the absence of any leveling effect, the acid strength of binary compounds of hydrogen with nonmetals (A) increases as the H-A bond strength decreases down a group in the periodic table. For group 17, the order of increasing acidity is HF < HCl < HBr < HI. Likewise, for group 16, the order of increasing acid strength is H2O < H2S < H2Se < H2Te. Across a row in the periodic table, the acid strength of binary hydrogen compounds increases with increasing...
In the absence of any leveling effect, the acid strength of binary compounds of hydrogen with nonmetals (A) increases as the H-A bond strength decreases down a group in the periodic table. For group 17, the order of increasing acidity is HF < HCl < HBr < HI. Likewise, for group 16, the order of increasing acid strength is H2O < H2S < H2Se < H2Te. Across a row in the periodic table, the acid strength of binary hydrogen compounds increases with increasing...
33.0K