Multi-scale connectivity and distribution: vulnerability in global food trade networks via static-dynamic integration

The global food trade network (FTN) is one of the key mechanisms for safeguarding national food supplies, and identifying its vulnerability is of considerable importance for maintaining global food security. This study develops a vulnerability assessment framework for the FTN that provides systematic analysis at the overall, cluster, and individual levels, integrating static and dynamic assessments within a unified analytical framework. Compared with single dynamic simulation approaches that focus solely on the process of network degradation, the proposed framework further identifies the structural origins of vulnerability. The results show that, from 2000 to 2023, the connectivity level of the FTN increased continuously, while the connectivity distribution became more balanced, resulting in an overall decline in network vulnerability. Among the four commodity-specific networks, the rice network exhibits the lowest vulnerability, whereas the soybean network is the most vulnerable, with the maize and wheat networks lying in between. The principal structural source of these differences is relevance, whereas agglomeration and accessibility play relatively secondary roles. Dynamic assessment further shows that, under intentional attack, the failure of critical nodes leads to a significant decline in network efficiency, and the dynamic results are broadly consistent with those of the static assessment. These findings provide a valuable reference for assessing and governing vulnerability in the FTN.