We investigate, using mean-field theory and simulation, the effect of asymmetry on the critical behavior and probability density of Bak–Sneppen models. Two kinds of anisotropy are investigated: (i) different numbers of sites to the left and right of the central (minimum) site are updated and...

Extremal dynamics is the mechanism that drives the Bak-Sneppen model into a (self-organized) critical state, marked by a singular stationary probability density p(x). With the aim of understanding this phenomenon, we study the BS model and several variants via mean-field theory and simulation....