Skip to main content

Theoretical Steps Towards Modelling Resilience in Complex Systems

  • Conference paper

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNTCS,volume 3980))

Abstract

This paper reports on theoretical work aimed at providing a harmonious set of tools for tackling the thorny problem of resilience in complex systems. Specifically, key features of resilience are laid out, and the ramifications on necessary theoretical and implementational machinery are analysed. These ramifications constitute a problem definition that, to the authors’ knowledge, no extant system is sufficiently sophisticated to meet. It is, however, possible to identify existing components that can be combined to provide the necessary expressivity. In particular, theoretical ecology has individual based modelling approaches that are consonant with artificial intelligence techniques in multi-agent systems, and in philosophical logic, channel theory provides a mechanism for modelling both system energy and system information flow. The paper demonstrates that it is possible to integrate these components into a coherent theoretical framework, laying a foundation for implementation and testing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Gunderson, L., Holling, C.S., Pritchard, L., Peterson, G.D.: Resilience. In: Mooney, H.A., Canadell, J.G. (eds.) SCOPE The Earth system: biological and ecological dimensions of global environmental change. Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change, 530–531 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniels, M.: Integrating Simulation Technologies with Swarm. In: Working Notes of the Workshop on Agent Simulation: Applications, Models and Tools, University of Chicago (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bordini, R.H., da Rocha Costa, A.C., Hubner, J.F., Moreira, A.F., Okuyama, F.Y., Vieira, R.: MAS-SOC: A Social Simulation Platform based on Agent-Oriented Programming. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation 8(3) (2005), http://jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk/8/3/7.html

  • Langton, C.: The Swarm Simulation System and Individual Based Modelling. Santa Fe Institute Working Paper (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  • Duboz, R., Cambier, C.: Small world properties in a DSDEVS model of ecosystem. In: Proceedings of the Open International Conference on Modeling and Simulation (OICMS 2005), pp. 65–71 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • Breckling, B., Muller, F., Reuter, H., Holker, F., Franzle, O.: Emergent properties in individual-based ecological models – introducing case studies in an ecosystem research context. Ecological Modelling 186, 376–388 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, N.R.: On Agent-Based Software Engineering. Artificial Intelligence 117(2), 277–296 (2000)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Schulze, E.D.: Flux control at the ecosystem level. TREE 10, 40–43 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents, ACL Spec. (2002), http://www.fipa.org

  • Sandholm, T.: Agents in Electronic Commerce: Component Technologies for Automated Negotiation and Coalition Formation. Autonomous Agents and Multi Agent Systems 3(1), 73–96 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TAC: Trading Agent Competition (2005) home at, www.sics.se./tac

    Google Scholar 

  • JADE home at jade.tilab.com

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.G.: The contract net protocol: high level communication and control in a distributed problem solver. IEEE Transactions on Computers 29, 1104–1113 (1980)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sycara, K.: Persuasive Argumentation in Negotiation. Theory and Decision 28(3), 203–242 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dumont, B., Hill, D.R.C.: Spatially explicit models of group foraging by herbivores: what can agent-based models offer? Animal Research 53, 419–428 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barwise, J., Seligman, J.: Information Flow: The Logic of Distributed Systems. CUP (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolnick, D.I., Svanback, R., Fordyce, J.A., Yang, L.H., Davis, J.M., Hulsey, C.D., Forister, M.L.: The ecology of individuals: incidence and implications of individual specialization. Am. Nat. 161, 1–28 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holling, C.S.: Engineering resilience versus ecological resilience. In: Schulze, E.D. (ed.) Engineering within ecological constraints, pp. 31–43. National Academy Press, Washington (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pimm, S.L.: The balance of nature. University of Chicago Press, Chicago (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, N., Juma, C.: Long-run economics: an evolutionary approach to economics growth, Pinter, London (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilman, D., Wedin, D., Knops, J.: Productivity and sustainability influenced by biodiversity in grassland ecosystems. Nature 379, 718–720 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Root, R.B.: Organization of a plant-arthropod association in simple and diverse habitats: the fauna of collards. Ecological Monographs 43, 95–117 (1973)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacArthur, R.H.: Fluctuations of animal populations and a measure of community stability. Ecology 36, 533–536 (1955)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawton, J.H.: What do species do in ecosystems? Oikos 71, 367–374 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrlich, P.R., Ehrlich, A.H.: Extinction: the causes and consequences of the disappearance of species. Random House, New York (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, B.: Biological diversity and ecological redundancy. Conservation Biology 9, 747–752 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, G., Allen, C.R., Holling, C.S.: Ecological resilience, biodiversity and scale. Ecosystems 1, 6–18 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Hawes, C., Reed, C. (2006). Theoretical Steps Towards Modelling Resilience in Complex Systems. In: Gavrilova, M., et al. Computational Science and Its Applications - ICCSA 2006. ICCSA 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3980. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11751540_68

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11751540_68

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-34070-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-34071-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics