Return to Colloquia & Seminar listing
Stochastic models in ecology: competition between species in a variable environment
Student-Run Research| Speaker: | Prof. Peter Chesson, UC Davis, Section of Evolution and Ecology |
| Location: | 693 Kerr |
| Start time: | Wed, Feb 23 2000, 2:10PM |
Description
Discrete-time Markov processes on a continuous state space are important
in ecology in the study of the mechanisms that maintain species
diversity. Stochastic variation is modeled as biological responses of
the species to variation in weather patterns. Geometrical properties of
the functions defining the models, which flow from biological
assumptions, determine the role that the stochastic components have in
the maintenance of diversity. In common scenarios, stochastic
fluctuations are predicted to promote high species diversity. Important
mathematical issues are the means of demonstrating that diversity is
maintained in terms of existence of stationary distributions and related
concepts.