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Research lines
Opinion dynamics
In this line of research, we investigate how opinions spread and evolve within a population. Instead of analyzing simple scenarios with only two choices (like yes/no), our focus is on more realistic situations, such as elections with multiple candidates or the adoption of new technologies, where several options compete. To do this, we use computational models where "agents" (representing people) interact on complex social networks. The main method involves varying the network structure, from regular and organized grids to completely random networks, to see how the topology of social contacts affects the final outcome.
Our results show that the structure of the social network has a profound impact on opinion diversity. Networks with greater randomness, where "shortcuts" connect different parts of the network, tend to accelerate consensus formation, favoring the majority opinion and quickly eliminating minority ones. This suggests that the increasing global connectivity of social networks could lead to less diversity of ideas, a crucial insight for understanding the dynamics of polarization and consensus in modern societies.
Our results show that the structure of the social network has a profound impact on opinion diversity. Networks with greater randomness, where "shortcuts" connect different parts of the network, tend to accelerate consensus formation, favoring the majority opinion and quickly eliminating minority ones. This suggests that the increasing global connectivity of social networks could lead to less diversity of ideas, a crucial insight for understanding the dynamics of polarization and consensus in modern societies.
Movement ecology
Movement is fundamental to the survival of any species, but how do movement strategies and landscape characteristics interact to determine a population's distribution? In this research, we develop mathematical models (based on reaction-diffusion equations) to explore how populations are distributed and persist in fragmented and heterogeneous environments. We analyze factors such as directed movement towards high-quality regions (movement bias) and how non-homogeneous diffusion affects spatial dynamics.
We found that how individuals move is as important as the quality of the habitat. For instance, a species' ability to actively move towards more favorable areas can allow it to survive in much smaller habitat fragments than classical models predicted. Furthermore, the interaction between movement and landscape structure can generate unexpected spatial patterns, such as oscillations in population density. These results have direct implications for conservation, helping to define the critical size of ecological reserves and predict how species will respond to changes in their environments.
We found that how individuals move is as important as the quality of the habitat. For instance, a species' ability to actively move towards more favorable areas can allow it to survive in much smaller habitat fragments than classical models predicted. Furthermore, the interaction between movement and landscape structure can generate unexpected spatial patterns, such as oscillations in population density. These results have direct implications for conservation, helping to define the critical size of ecological reserves and predict how species will respond to changes in their environments.
Language and cultural dynamics
Languages are constantly evolving, with new linguistic traits, such as slang or accents, emerging and spreading through populations. In this research, we investigate two key factors that influence this dynamic: the role of "committed individuals" (or zealots) and the social cohesion of the population. To explore this, we use agent-based models on spatial networks, where most individuals can change their linguistic variant through social interaction, but a small fraction remains inflexible, the zealots.
The main result is that while a small minority of committed individuals can have a disproportionate impact on linguistic competition, this effect is significantly amplified by social cohesion. The zealots then act as permanent anchors within the population, ensuring the language's vitality and persistence. This work shows that to predict the evolution of a language, it is not enough to know the majority opinion; it is crucial to understand the interplay between committed minorities and the cohesion of their social network.
The main result is that while a small minority of committed individuals can have a disproportionate impact on linguistic competition, this effect is significantly amplified by social cohesion. The zealots then act as permanent anchors within the population, ensuring the language's vitality and persistence. This work shows that to predict the evolution of a language, it is not enough to know the majority opinion; it is crucial to understand the interplay between committed minorities and the cohesion of their social network.
Cooperation in Microbial Communities
Cooperation is a pillar of microbial communities. Microbes often produce "public goods", such as enzymes that digest food, which are costly to produce but benefit the entire community. This creates a dilemma, as "cheater" individuals can enjoy the benefits without paying the cost, leading to a collapse of cooperation. Our research addresses a key question: how does this dilemma unfold in a dynamic and fluid environment, like a river, the soil, or the human gut, where the public goods can be carried away by a flow?
To investigate this, we combine evolutionary game theory with models of population dynamics in fluid media. Our models reveal that the flow plays a surprising dual role. On the one hand, a strong flow can hinder cooperation by washing away the public good before it can be used. On the other hand, the flow can also promote cooperation by creating spatial segregation, allowing colonies of cooperators to physically move away from cheaters and form niches where the benefits of cooperation are kept local. This demonstrates that physical environmental conditions are crucial for the evolution and maintenance of cooperation in the microbial world.
To investigate this, we combine evolutionary game theory with models of population dynamics in fluid media. Our models reveal that the flow plays a surprising dual role. On the one hand, a strong flow can hinder cooperation by washing away the public good before it can be used. On the other hand, the flow can also promote cooperation by creating spatial segregation, allowing colonies of cooperators to physically move away from cheaters and form niches where the benefits of cooperation are kept local. This demonstrates that physical environmental conditions are crucial for the evolution and maintenance of cooperation in the microbial world.
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