Dynamics of populations in extended systems
Authored by M Droz, A Pekalski
Date Published: 2002
Sponsors:
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Platforms:
No platforms listed
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
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Abstract
Two models of spatially extended population dynamics are investigated.
Model A describes a lattice model of evolution of a predator-prey
system. We compare four different strategies involving the problems of
food resources, existence of cover against predators and birth.
Properties of the steady states reached by the predator-prey system are
analyzed. Model B concerns an individual-based model of a population
which lives in a changing environment. The individuals forming the
population are subject to mutations and selection pressure. We show
that, depending on the values of the mutation rate and selection, the
population may reach either an active phase (it will survive) or an
absorbing phase (it will become extinct). The dependence of the mean
time to extinction on the rate of mutations will also be discussed.
These two problems illustrate the fact that cellular automata or
Monte-Carlo simulations, which take completely the spatial fluctuations
into account, are very useful tools to study population dynamics.
Tags
Evolution
Extinction