Basins of Attraction: Population Dynamics with Two Stable 4-cycles

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-24-2002

Abstract

We use the concepts of composite maps, basins of attraction, basin switching, and saddle fly-by's to make the ecological hypothesis of the existence of multiple attractors more accessible to experimental scrutiny. Specifically, in a periodically forced insect population growth model we identify multiple attractors, namely, two locally stable 4-cycles. Using the model-predicted basins of attraction, we examine data time series from a Tribolium experiment for evidence of the multiple attractors. We conclude that the multiple attractor hypothesis together with demographic stochasticity accounts for the experimental observations.

Journal Title

Oikos

Volume

98

Issue

1

First Page

17

Last Page

24

DOI

10.1034/j.1600-0706.2002.980102.x

First Department

Mathematics

Link to Full Text

@ the James White Library

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