On the degree distribution of projected networks mapped from bipartite networks

Many real-world systems can be represented by bipartite networks. In a bipartite network, the nodes are divided into two disjoint sets, and the edges connect nodes that belong to different sets. Given a bipartite network (i.e. two-mode network) it is possible to construct two projected networks (i.e. one-mode networks) where each one is composed of only one set of nodes. While network analyses have focused on unipartite networks, considerably less attention has been paid to the analytical study of bipartite networks. Here, we analytically derive simple mathematical relationships that predict degree distributions of the projected networks by only knowing the structure of the original bipartite network. These analytical results are confirmed by computational simulations using artificial and real-world bipartite networks from a variety of biological and social systems. These findings offer in our view new insights into the structure of real-world bipartite networks. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.