1/f oscillations in a model of moth populations oriented by diffusive pheromones

Authored by LA Barbosa, ML Martins, ER Lima

Date Published: 2005

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2004.06.156

Sponsors: Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

An individual-based model for the population dynamics of Spodoptera frugiperda in a homogeneous environment is proposed. The model involves moths feeding plants, mating through an anemotaxis search (i.e., oriented by odor dispersed in a current of air), and dying due to resource competition or at a maximum age. As observed in the laboratory, the females release pheromones at exponentially distributed time intervals, and it is assumed that the ranges of the male flights follow a power-law distribution. Computer simulations of the model reveal the central role of anemotaxis search for the persistence of moth population. Such stationary populations are exponentially distributed in age, exhibit random temporal fluctuations with 1/f spectrum, and self-organize in disordered spatial patterns with long-range correlations. In addition, the model results demonstrate that pest control through pheromone mass trapping is effective only if the amounts of pheromone released by the traps decay much slower than the exponential distribution for calling female. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tags

Migration Dynamics ecology Fluctuations Cellular-automata Cycles Lepidoptera Fall armyworm Spodoptera-frugiperda Noctuidae