Investigating Los Angeles' urban roadway network from a biologically-formed perspective

Sophia Deen; Tatiana Kuzmenko; Hossein Asghari; Demian A Willette

doi:10.7717/peerj.8238

Investigating Los Angeles' urban roadway network from a biologically-formed perspective

PeerJ. 2020 Jan 13:8:e8238. doi: 10.7717/peerj.8238. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Sophia Deen¹, Tatiana Kuzmenko², Hossein Asghari³, Demian A Willette²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health and Human Sciences, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.
² Biology Department, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.
³ Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.

Abstract

The evolution of networks is constrained by spatial properties of the environment; a characterization that is true in both biological and built networks. Hence built networks such as urban streets can be compared to biological networks to reveal differences in efficiency and complexity. This study assessed foraging networks created by the slime-mold Physarium polycephalum on proportional 3D-printed topographic maps of metropolitan city of Los Angeles, California. Rapidly-generated isomorphic solutions were found to be consistently and statistically shorter than existing roadways in system length. Slime mold also allocated resources to supporting key nodes, analogous to how heavy traffic flows through major intersections. Further, chemical deterrents inhibited exploration of slime mold in selected areas and allows for testing of network redundancy and system resilience, such as after an earthquake or wildfire.

Keywords: 3D printing; Biological network; Built network; Physarium polycephalum; Roadway planning; Slime mold.

Grants and funding

This project was funded with support from the Biology Department at Loyola Marymount University and the LMU Summer Undergraduate Research Program. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.