Before revision:  Defined as ensembles of random networks with given features constrained to match those of an input (empirical) network, they may  be used to identify statistically significant motifs in empirical temporal networks (i.e. overrepresented w.r.t. the null random networks) and to infer the effects of such motifs on dynamical processes unfolding in the network.
After revision:  Defined as ensembles of random networks with given features constrained to match those of an input (empirical) network, they may be used to identify important features of empirical networks and their effects on dynamical processes unfolding in the network.