Citation
Biological robustness
TL;DR
Defined robustness as system property maintaining function against perturbations
Seminal review defining robustness as the property allowing systems to maintain function against perturbations. Kitano identifies redundancy as a key mechanism for fail-safe operation and discusses the critical trade-offs between robustness, fragility, performance, and resource demands.
This paper provides the theoretical foundation for understanding why biological systems invest in seemingly 'wasteful' redundancy - the costs are justified by resilience benefits in uncertain environments.
Key Findings from Kitano (2004)
- Defined robustness as system property maintaining function against perturbations
- Identified redundancy as key mechanism for fail-safe operation
- Analyzed trade-offs between robustness, fragility, performance, and resource demands
- Established framework for understanding biological system design principles