Network nestedness as generalized core-periphery structures

Abstract

The concept of nestedness, in particular for ecological and economical networks, has been introduced as a structural characteristic of real interacting systems. We suggest that the nestedness is in fact another way to express a mesoscale network property called the core-periphery structure. With real ecological mutualistic networks and synthetic model networks, we reveal the strong correlation between the nestedness and core-periphery-ness (likeness to the core-periphery structure), by defining the network-level measures for nestedness and core-periphery-ness in the case of weighted and bipartite networks. However, at the same time, via more sophisticated null-model analysis, we also discover that the degree (the number of connected neighbors of a node) distribution poses quite severe restrictions on the possible nestedness and core-periphery parameter space. Therefore, there must exist structurally interwoven properties in more fundamental levels of network formation, behind this seemingly obvious relation between nestedness and core-periphery structures.

arXiv comment7 pages, 8 figures

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• Nestedness in complex networks: Observation, emergence, and implications
• Detection of Core-Periphery Structure in Networks Using Spectral Methods and Geodesic Paths
• Monogamy of entanglement without inequalities
• The ambiguity of nestedness under soft and hard constraints
• Exploring the relationship between the spatial distribution of roads and universal pattern of travel-route efficiency in urban road networks
• Mesoscale properties of mutualistic networks in ecosystems