Figure 2

Conceptual model of a buffering network. Each agent is depicted by a pair of connected nodes that represent two types of tasks/functions that the agent can perform, e.g. see dashed circle in panel a). Node pairs that originate or end in the same node cluster ("Functional group") correspond to agents that can carry out the same function and thus are interchangeable for that function. Darkened nodes indicate the task an agent is currently performing. If that task is not needed then the agent is an excess resource or "buffer". Panel a) Degeneracy in multi-functional agents. Agents are degenerate when they are only similar in one type of task. Panel b) End state of a sequence of task reassignments or resource reconfigurations. A reassignment is indicated by a blue arrow with switch symbol. The diagram illustrates a scenario in which requests for tasks in the Z functional group have increased and requests for tasks of type X have decreased. Thus resources for X are now in excess. While no agent exists in the system that performs both Z and X, a pathway does exist for reassignment of resources (X→Y, Y→Z). This illustrates how excess resources for one type of function can indirectly support unrelated functions. Panel c) Depending on where excess resources are located, reconfiguration options are potentially large as indicated by the different reassignment pathways shown. Panel d) A reductionist system design with only redundant system buffers cannot support broad resource reconfiguration options. Instead, agent can only participate in system responses related to its two task type capabilities.^vi