A mathematical model for the population dynamics of army ants |
| |
Authors: | N F Britton L W Partridge N R Franks |
| |
Institution: | (1) Centre for Mathematical Biology and School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, BA2 7AY Bath, UK;(2) School of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, BA2 7AY Bath, UK;(3) Centre for Mathematical Biology and School of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, BA2 7AY Bath, UK;(4) Present address: Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, AB9 2QJ Aberdeen, UK |
| |
Abstract: | A stochastic cellular automata model for the population dynamics of the army antEciton burchelli on Barro Colorado Island in Panama is set up. It is simulated on the computer and shown to give good agreement with biological
data. It is analysed using two approximations akin to the mean field approximation in statistical mechanics, and good agreement
with the simulations is obtained. Finally, the role of distance between successive statary phase bivouacs is discussed with
regard to the rate of colony growth.
There are two aspects of the biological system studied here that make it of general importance. First, the population is structured,
since the size of each colony of army ants is crucial. Second, the spatial behaviour of the population, as in many others,
is not diffusion-like, although it is random. This has implications for the kind of model that is chosen. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|