Modularity limits disturbance effects The networks that form natural, social, and technological systems are vulnerable to the spreading impacts of perturbations. Theory predicts that networks with a clustered or modular structure—where nodes within a module interact more frequently than they do with nodes in other modules—might contain a perturbation, preventing it from spreading to the entire network. Gilarranz et al. conducted experiments with networked populations of springtail (Folsomia candida) microarthropods to show that modularity limits the impact of a local extinction on neighboring nodes (see the Perspective by Sales-Pardo). In networks with high modularity, the perturbation was contained within the targeted module, and its impact did not spread to nodes beyond it. However, simulations revealed that modularity is beneficial to the network only when perturbations are present; otherwise, it hinders population growth. Science, this issue p. 199; see also p. 128 Networks of springtail (Folsomia candida) microarthropods are more robust to perturbation when organized in modules. Networks with a modular structure are expected to have a lower risk of global failure. However, this theoretical result has remained untested until now. We used an experimental microarthropod metapopulation to test the effect of modularity on the response to perturbation. We perturbed one local population and measured the spread of the impact of this perturbation, both within and between modules. Our results show the buffering capacity of modular networks. To assess the generality of our findings, we then analyzed a dynamical model of our system. We show that in the absence of perturbations, modularity is negatively correlated with metapopulation size. However, even when a small local perturbation occurs, this negative effect is offset by a buffering effect that protects the majority of the nodes from the perturbation.

中文翻译：

---

网络模块化对实验元群中扰动影响传播的影响

模块化限制干扰效应 形成自然、社会和技术系统的网络容易受到干扰的扩散影响。理论预测，具有集群或模块化结构的网络（其中一个模块内的节点比与其他模块中的节点交互更频繁）可能包含扰动，防止其扩散到整个网络。吉拉兰兹等人。对跳虫（念珠菌）微节肢动物的联网群体进行了实验，以表明模块化限制了局部灭绝对邻近节点的影响（参见 Sales-Pardo 的观点）。在高度模块化的网络中，扰动包含在目标模块内，其影响不会扩散到其以外的节点。然而，模拟表明，只有当存在扰动时，模块化才对网络有益；否则，它会阻碍人口增长。科学，这个问题 p。199; 另见第。128 当组织成模块时，弹尾虫（念珠菌）微节肢动物网络对扰动更加稳健。具有模块化结构的网络预计具有较低的全局故障风险。然而，这一理论结果至今仍未得到检验。我们使用实验性微节肢动物群落来测试模块化对扰动响应的影响。我们扰乱了一个当地人口，并测量了这种扰动的影响在模块内部和模块之间的传播。我们的结果显示了模块化网络的缓冲能力。为了评估我们发现的普遍性，我们分析了我们系统的动态模型。我们表明，在没有扰动的情况下，模块化与元种群大小呈负相关。然而，即使发生小的局部扰动，这种负面影响也会被保护大多数节点免受扰动的缓冲效应抵消。