Components in many real-world complex systems depend on each other for the resources required for survival, and may die if sufficient amount is not obtained . These patterns of dependencies often take a form of a complex network whose structure potentially affects how the resources produced in the system are efficiently shared among its components, which in turn decides  network's survivability. Here we present a simple  model that provides insight into this relationship between the network structure and survivability. We show that, as a combined effect of local sharing and finite lifetime of resources, many components in a complex system may die of lack of resources even when sufficient amount is available in the system. We also obtain a surprising result that although the scale-free networks exhibit a significantly higher survivability compared to their homogeneous counterparts, a vertex in the later has a better chance of survival for long . Finally, we demonstrate that the system's survivability can be substantially improved by changing the way vertices distribute resources among the neighbours. Our work is a first step towards understanding the relationship between intricate resource dependencies present in many real-world complex systems and their survivability.
Components in many real-world complex systems depend on each other for the resources required for survival, and may die of a shortage . These patterns of dependencies often take the form of a complex network whose structure potentially affects how the resources produced in the system are efficiently shared among its components, which in turn decides a network's survivability. Here we present a simple threshold model that provides insight into this relationship between the network structure and survivability. We show that, as a combined effect of local sharing and finite lifetime of resources, many components in a complex system may die of lack of resources even when sufficient amount is available in the system. We also obtain a surprising result that although the scale-free networks exhibit a significantly higher survivability compared to their homogeneous counterparts, a vertex in the later survives longer on average . Finally, we demonstrate that the system's survivability can be substantially improved by changing the way vertices distribute resources among the neighbours. Our work is a step towards understanding the relationship between intricate resource dependencies present in many real-world complex systems and their survivability.
R
if sufficient amount is not obtained
of a shortage
R
a
the
A
a
A
threshold
R
has a better chance of survival for long
survives longer on average
D
first