When Structure Meets Function in Evolutionary Dynamics on Complex Networks

Evolutionary dynamics play a fundamental role in exploring the underlying mechanism of collective behaviors over a multi-agent network. Traditionally, evolutionary dynamics focus on the analysis of evolutionary behaviors of unstructured complex systems. However, recent research reveals that system structure is essential in the formation of collective behaviors. This article shows the intrinsic relation between structure and function of a complex dynamical network with evolutionary dynamics. In particular, the impact of node dynamics and network structure on evolutionary dynamics is investigated. Methods are given to find invasion hubs of a network and to design efficient networks for innovation diffusion. Moreover, it discusses some potential real-world applications and highlights some challenging problems for future studies.