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Complexity can enhance stability in competitive systems
Author(s) -
Rozdilsky Ian D.,
Stone Lewi
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1461-0248.2001.00249.x
Subject(s) - generality , stability (learning theory) , ecology , persistence (discontinuity) , complex system , ecological systems theory , computer science , biology , economics , artificial intelligence , engineering , geotechnical engineering , management , machine learning
Empirical observations often indicate that complexity enhances stability, while most theoretical studies, such as May’s (1972) classic paper, point to the opposite. Despite the wide generality of these latter theoretical analyses, our examination of the well‐known competitive Lotka–Volterra system reveals that increasing complexity (measured in terms of connectance) can enhance species coexistence and persistence in model communities (measured in terms of their feasibility and stability). The high feasibility and stability found for tightly interconnected competitive subsystems might provide an explanation for the clumped structure in food webs.