A deeper insight into the equilibrium of biological and ecological networks

Abstract

The equilibrium of biological and ecological networks is often studied using eigenvector-eigenvalue analyses in order to reckon steady/unsteady properties and trajectories. Although at equilibrium inputs equal outputs for all the system variables, network flows continue to happen. Therefore, in this study I face three underestimated topics of network equilibrium: equilibrium flows, equilibrium sensitivity and equilibrium what-if properties. Using an applicative example, I show here that these three topics add important details to the knowledge of network behaviour at equilibrium.

Keywords

• equilibrium flows
• equilibrium sensitivity
• equilibrium what-if
• network equilibrium