Probabilistic modelling of the evolution of ecological interaction networks

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dc.contributor.advisorSheffler, Konraden_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorHui, Cangen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMinoarivelo, Henintsoa Onivolaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Mathematical Sciences.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2011-11-17T17:31:55Zen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2011-12-05T13:17:59Z
dc.date.available2011-11-17T17:31:55Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2011-12-05T13:17:59Z
dc.date.issued2011-12en_ZA
dc.descriptionThesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: In any ecological system, organisms need to interact with each other for their survival. Such interactions form ecological networks which are usually very complex. Nevertheless, they exhibit well de ned patterns; these regularities are often interpreted as products of meaningful ecological processes. As the networks are evolving through time, biological evolution is one of the factors that affects ecological network architecture. In this work, we develop a mathematical model that represents the evolution through time of such ecological interaction networks. The problem is approached by modelling network evolution as a continuous time Markov process, in such a way that the interactions in which a parent species is involved are potentially inherited by its descendant species. This approach allows us to infer ecological parameters and ecological network histories from real-world network data, as well as to simulate ecological networks under our model. While ecologists have long been aware of the in uence of evolutionary processes in shaping ecological networks, we are now able to evaluate the importance of such in uence.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In enige ekologiese stelsel benodig organismes wisselwerkings met mekaar ten einde te oorleef. Sulke interaksies vorm ekologiese netwerke wat gewoonlik baie kompleks is maar nogtans goed-gede nieerde patrone vertoon. Hierdie patrone word dikwels geïnterpreteer as die produk van betekenisvolle ekologiese prosesse. Aangesien die netwerke met die verloop van tyd ontwikkel, is biologiese ewolusie een van die faktore wat ekologiese netwerkargitektuur beïnvloed. In hierdie studie ontwikkel ons 'n wiskundige model wat die ewolusie van sulke ekologiese interaksienetwerke voorstel. Die probleem word benader deur netwerkewolusie as 'n kontinue-tyd Markov-proses te modelleer, op so 'n manier dat die interaksies waarin 'n voorouerspesie betrokke is potensieel oorerf kan word deur die afstammelingspesies. Hierdie benadering laat ons toe om ekologiese parameters en ekologiese netwerkgeskiedenisse vanuit regte-wêreld data af te lei, sowel as om ekologiese netwerke onder ons model te simuleer. Alhoewel ekoloë al lank reeds bewus is van die invloed wat ewolusionêre prosesse het op die vorming van ekologiese netwerke, is ons nou in staat om die belangrikheid van hierdie invloed te evalueer.af_ZA
dc.format.extent82 p.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/17990en_ZA
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch University
dc.subjectEcological interactionen_ZA
dc.subjectEvolutionen_ZA
dc.subjectProbabilistic modelsen_ZA
dc.subjectMarkov processen_ZA
dc.subjectDissertations -- Mathematicsen_ZA
dc.subjectTheses -- Mathematicsen_ZA
dc.subjectDissertations -- Computer scienceen_ZA
dc.subjectTheses -- Computer scienceen_ZA
dc.titleProbabilistic modelling of the evolution of ecological interaction networksen_ZA
dc.typeThesis
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