arXiv subjects

Thomas Van Giel

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Van Giel.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Modification speed and radius of higher-order interactions alter the oscillatory dynamics in an agent-based model

Understanding the population dynamics of ecological systems is crucial for predicting shifts in biodiversity and ensuring the protection of these systems. Established models often focus on pairwise species interactions, yet recent studies have highlighted the importance of higher-order interactions (HOIs) in shaping community structure and function. In this study, we investigate the effects of HOIs in an agent-based model with three species engaged in intransitive competition. We introduce an HOI where one species modifies the competition between the other two. We explore the impact of the strength, radius of influence, and speed of this interaction modification on species abundances and oscillations thereof. Our results show that these abundances are not only greatly impacted by the strength, but also by the radius and speed of the interaction modification. A deeper investigation demonstrates that the changes in the oscillations are caused by the interaction modification itself, and not the change in pairwise interaction strength caused by the HOI. These results emphasize the importance of considering the spatio-temporal scales of higher-order interactions when assessing ecosystem stability, highlighting that such interactions can introduce complex dynamical behaviors that go beyond the predictions of traditional pairwise or simpler higher-order models

q-bio.PE↗

arXiv2024

Modification speed alters stability of ecological higher-order interaction networks

Higher-order interactions (HOIs) have the potential to greatly increase our understanding of ecological interaction networks beyond what is possible with established models that usually consider only pairwise interactions between organisms. While equilibrium values of such HOI-based models have been studied, the dynamics of these models and the stability of their equilibria remain underexplored. Here we present a novel investigation on the effect of the onset speed of a higher-order interaction. In particular, we study the stability of the equilibrium of all configurations of a three-species interaction network, including transitive as well as intransitive ones. We show that the HOI onset speed has a dramatic effect on the evolution and stability of the ecological network, with significant structural changes compared to commonly used HOI extensions or pairwise networks. Changes in the HOI onset speed from fast to slow can reverse the stability of the interaction network. The evolution of the system also affects the equilibrium that will be reached, influenced by the HOI onset speed. This implies that the HOI onset speed is an important determinant in the dynamics of ecological systems, and including it in models of ecological networks can improve our understanding thereof.

math.DS↗