2020/04/23 by Irina Vortkamp, Vortkamp, Irina, Sebastian J. Schreiber +5
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Social Sciences · Environmental Science · #Evolution and Genetic Dynamics #Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation #Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2004.11219
We present a discrete-time model of a spatially structured population and\nexplore the effects of coupling when the local dynamics contain a strong Allee\neffect and overcompensation. While an isolated population can exhibit only\nbistability and essential extinction, a spatially structured population can\nexhibit numerous coexisting attractors. We identify mechanisms and parameter\nranges that can protect the spatially structured population from essential\nextinction, whereas it is inevitable in the local system. In the case of weak\ncoupling, a state where one subpopulation density lies above and the other one\nbelow the Allee threshold can prevent essential extinction. Strong coupling, on\nthe other hand, enables both populations to persist above the Allee threshold\nwhen dynamics are (approximately) out-of-phase. In both cases, attractors have\nfractal basin boundaries. Outside of these parameter ranges, dispersal was not\nfound to prevent essential extinction. We also demonstrate how spatial\nstructure can lead to long transients of persistence before the population goes\nextinct.\n