During the last four decades, research on complex genetic, metabolic and ecological networks focused primarily on a reductionist approach, but it is now clear that this approach is inadequate; complex systems cannot be fully understood by dissecting them into their component pieces. In this talk we will describe some well-characterized examples of how the dynamics of complex networks in individuals are reflected in the collective behavior of populations, and we will discuss the role of spatial and temporal hierarchies in models of these systems. We will also describe some techniques that may be used to understand highly interconnected networks, and indicate what is lacking in our present toolkit.

Back to Schedule

Back to Biocomplexity workshop

1999-2000 Reactive Flow and Transport Phenomena