GLOBAL PROPERTIES OF COMPLEX NETWORKS Pasquinell Urbani

purbanir@gmail.com

This resume is based on the book of Junker B.H. and Schreiber F.. Analysis of biological netwoks Wiley Series, 2008 (Chapter 3), and from previous knowedledge of ecological food web theory. General Definitions A network is formally represented by a graph G=(V,E), consinting of a set V of N V vertices and a set E of NE edges (links). We distinguish between undirected graphs, whose vertices are connected by edges without any direccional information, and directed grapas (digraph), whose edges posses direccional information. In most cases, a network is represented by its adjaency matrix A, where a =1 ij indicating that there exist and adge between vertex ni and nj, and aij=0 if not. There are one more clasification of a network, the case we have seen is the case of unweighted network, where is only important if a node is connected with other or not. The other class is a weighted network, whose link contanis the information of the strenght of the interaction, for example a24=0.3 and a52=0.7, in this case we consider that n 2 interact strongly with n4 than n5 does with n2. Connectance Measures the density of conections of a network. Commonly is calculated as the ratio betwen the number of realized connections (Ne) and the possible connections (Nv2). So Connectance=Ne/Nv2. (note: this formula considers self loops links). Distance, Average path length and Diameter The distance dij between any two vertices, is the minimal number of edges that need to be traversed to trael from vertex ni to nj. For example in Fig. 1 d 41=2. This measure is simetric-defined for unweighted grapas, so that d 14=2. The diameter dm =max(dij) of a network is defined as the maximal distance of any pair of vrtices. In the case of the graph presented in Fig. 1 d m=3(=d 61=d62) The average characteristic path lenght d=<dij> of a network is defined as the average distance beween all pairs of vertices. In case of infite distence (only in digraphs) the average inverse pagh lenth can be defined as deff =<1/dij>.

Figure 1: A graph of 6 vertices and 7 edges.

Small World network Not well defined concept who refer to a common propiety of observed Networks. Where is seen that many Networks depsite a huge number of vrtices the average characteristic path lenght is low. (Six degrees of separation in social Networks). The degree distribution p(k) The degree (k) is defined as de number of edges linked to a node. In de case of digraphs, we distinguish between the iinput degree kiin and de output degree ki out. Taking all vertices of a network into account, we can sak for the probability p(k) that the degree of a randomly chosen vertex equals k. Many empirical networks aproximately follows a power law p(k)~k-g, where g denotes de degree exponent (figure 2). This means there are a large number of nodes with small degrees and a few nodes with high degree.

Figure 2. Power law distribution: k in horizontal axis and p(k) in the vertical axis.

In weigthed networks sometimes is usefull to define a weighted degree distribution, in wich is considered the weight of the links.

Assorative Mixing and Degree Corralations Sometimes is more interesting to look for correlations between the degrees of adjacent vertices. A network is called disassorative if vertices with high degree connect preferentially to vertices with low degree (examples have been presented in some biological networks, in the case of ecology the therm disassorative network is replaced, with some modifications, by nitched network). An vice versa a network is called assorative if vetices with high degree preferentiually also connetc to other vertices with digh degree (social networks). The degree correlation takes account this success(for more information see p. 38) Modularity Is a propiety of the entire newtwork whose exibits weakly interlinked subsets of species (modules), which, however, internally consist of strongly connected species.

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