Block models for generalized multipartite networks: Applications in ecology and ethnobiology. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bar-Hen, Avner; Barbillon, Pierre; Donnet, Sophie
• Is Part Of: Statistical modelling. Volume 22:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 273
• Page End: 296
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: networks -- Latent block models -- stochastic block models -- variational EM -- model selection -- ecology; Linear models (Statistics) -- Periodicals; Mathematical models -- Periodicals; Modèles linéaires (Statistique) -- Périodiques; Modèles mathématiques -- Périodiques; Modèle statistique; Modèle linéaire; Modélisation statistique; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 519.5011
• DOI: 10.1177/1471082X20963254
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-082X

Abstract

Generalized multipartite networks consist in the joint observation of several networks implying some common pre-specified groups of individuals. Such complex networks arise commonly in social sciences, biology, ecology, etc. We propose a flexible probabilistic model named Multipartite Block Model (MBM) able to unravel the topology of multipartite networks by identifying clusters (blocks) of nodes sharing the same patterns of connectivity across the collection of networks they are involved in. The model parameters are estimated through a variational version of the Expectation–Maximization algorithm. The numbers of blocks are chosen using an Integrated Completed Likelihood criterion specifically designed for our model. A simulation study illustrates the robustness of the inference strategy. Finally, two datasets respectively issued from ecology and ethnobiology are analyzed with the MBM in order to illustrate its flexibility and its relevance for the analysis of real datasets. The inference procedure is implemented in anR -packageGREMLIN, available on Github (https://github.com/Demiperimetre/GREMLINhttps://github.com/Demiperimetre/GREMLIN ).