Modeling environmental variability and network formation among pastoral nomadic households: Implications for the rise of the Mongol Empire.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Shultz DR
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6786613 | biostudies-literature | 2019
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Modeling environmental variability and network formation among pastoral nomadic households: Implications for the rise of the Mongol Empire.
Shultz Daniel R DR Costopoulos Andre A
PloS one 20191010 10
We use agent-based computer simulation to test the effect of environmental conditions (available biomass/carrying capacity and environmental risk) on the development of wealth inequality and patron-client herding networks in nomadic pastoral economies. Our results show that 1) wealth inequality reaches very high levels when carrying capacity is high and risk is low, and 2) patron-client contract herding networks increase in size and duration when carrying capacity is high and risk is low. We com ...[more]
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