Eur. Phys. J. B (2018) 91: 264
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2018-90059-y

Regular Article

Spectral control for ecological stability

¹ Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via S. Marta 3, 50139 Florence, Italy
² Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia and CSDC, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
³ INFN Sezione di Firenze, via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

^a e-mail: giuliacencetti@gmail.com

Received: 6 February 2018
Received in final form: 9 July 2018
Published online: 24 October 2018

Abstract

A system made up of N interacting species is considered. Self-reaction terms are assumed of the logistic type. Pairwise interactions take place among species according to different modalities, thus yielding a complex asymmetric disordered graph. A mathematical procedure is introduced and tested to stabilise the ecosystem via an ad hoc rewiring of the underlying couplings. The method implements minimal modifications to the spectrum of the Jacobian matrix which sets the stability of the fixed point and traces these changes back to species–species interactions. Resilience of the equilibrium state appear to be favoured by predator-prey interactions.