Effects of survival thresholds upon one-dimensional dynamics of single-species populations

A simple one-dimensional model of single-species populations is studied by means of computer simulations. Although the model has a rich spectrum of dynamics including chaotic behavior, the introduction of survival thresholds makes the chaotic region so small that it can be hardly observed. Stochastic fluctuations further reduce the chaotic region because they accidentally lead populations to extinction. The model thus naturally explains the observation that the majority of natural populations do not show chaotic behavior but a monotonic return to a stable equilibrium point following a disturbance.