Final answer:
The network model offers the advantage of better handling complex relationships and system dynamics compared to the hierarchical model, especially in modern ecological and organizational contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
An advantage of the network model over the hierarchical model is its ability to handle complex relationships and represent greater system dynamics more accurately. While hierarchical models, like traditional taxonomic classification systems, contain a clear and rigid chain of command that was critical during the Industrial Revolution, the modern information age often benefits from more flexible, interconnected models. In addition, individual-based models (IBMs), which are a type of network model, allow for local scale interactions, leading to a better understanding of ecological systems and facilitating emergence phenomena, thereby improving the model’s utility in making ecological predictions and informing environmental management decisions.