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Mu-Yao Li

Publications and source records attributed to Mu-Yao Li.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the international staple agrifood trade networks

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is a growing concern worldwide and poses serious threats to regional and global food security. Using monthly trade data for maize, rice, and wheat from 2016/1 to 2022/12, this paper constructs three international crop trade networks (iCTNs) and an aggregate international food trade network (iFTN). We aim to examine the structural changes following the occurrence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. We find significant shifts in the number of edges, average degree, density, efficiency, and natural connectivity in the third quarter of 2022, particularly in the international wheat trade network. Additionally, we have shown that political reasons have caused more pronounced changes in the trade connections between the economies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Russia than with Ukraine. This paper could provide insights into the negative impact of geopolitical conflicts on the global food system and encourage a series of effective strategies to mitigate the negative impact of the conflict on global food trade.

physics.soc-ph

Temporal rich club phenomenon and its formation mechanisms

The temporal rich club (TRC) phenomenon is widespread in real systems, forming a tight and continuous collection of the prominent nodes that control the system. However, there is still a lack of sufficient understanding of the mechanisms of TRC formation. Here we use the international N-nutrient trade network as an example of an in-depth identification, analysis, and modeling of its TRC phenomenon. The system exhibits a statistically significant TRC phenomenon, with eight economies forming the cornerstone club. Our analysis reveals that node degree is the most influential factor in TRC formation compared to other variables. The mathematical evolution models we constructed propose that the TRC in the N-nutrient trade network arises from the coexistence of degree-homophily and path-dependence mechanisms. By comprehending these mechanisms, we introduce a novel perspective on TRC formation. Although our analysis is limited to the international trade system, the methodology can be extended to analyze the mechanisms underlying TRC emergence in other systems.

physics.soc-ph

Quantifying the temporal stability of international fertilizer trade networks

The importance of fertilizers to agricultural production is undeniable, and most economies rely on international trade for fertilizer use. The stability of fertilizer trade networks is fundamental to food security. We use three valid methods to measure the temporal stability of the overall network and different functional sub-networks of the three fertilizer nutrients N, P and K from 1990 to 2018. The international N, P and K trade systems all have a trend of increasing stability with the process of globalization. The large-weight sub-network has relatively high stability, but is more likely to be impacted by extreme events. The small-weight sub-network is less stable, but has a strong self-healing ability and is less affected by shocks. Overall, all the three fertilizer trade networks exhibit a stable core with restorable periphery. The overall network stability of the three fertilizers is close, but the K trade has a significantly higher stability in the core part, and the N trade is the most stable in the non-core part.

physics.soc-ph