Individual-based chaos: Extensions of the discrete logistic model

Finding analytical approximations for discrete, stochastic, individual-based models of ecology

Discrete time, spatially extended models play an important role in ecology, modelling population dynamics of species ranging from micro-organisms to birds. An important question is how 'bottom up', individual-based models can be approximated by 'top down' models of dynamics. Here, we study a class of spatially explicit individual-based models with contest competition: where species compete for space in local cells and then disperse to nearby cells. We start by describing simulations of the model, which exhibit large-scale discrete oscillations and characterize these oscillations by measuring spatial correlations. We then develop two new approximate descriptions of the resulting spatial population dynamics. The first is based on local interactions of the individuals and allows us to give a difference equation approximation of the system over small dispersal distances. The second approximates the long-range interactions of the individual-based model. These approximations capture demographic stochasticity from the individual-based model and show that dispersal stabilizes population dynamics. We calculate extinction probability for the individual-based model and show convergence between the local approximation and the non-spatial global approximation of the individual-based model as dispersal distance and population size simultaneously tend to infinity. Our results provide new approximate analytical descriptions of a complex bottom-up model and deepen understanding of spatial population dynamics.

Chaotic Map with No Fixed Points: Entropy, Implementation and Control

A map without equilibrium has been proposed and studied in this paper. The proposed map has no fixed point and exhibits chaos. We have investigated its dynamics and shown its chaotic behavior using tools such as return map, bifurcation diagram and Lyapunov exponents’ diagram. Entropy of this new map has been calculated. Using an open micro-controller platform, the map is implemented, and experimental observation is presented. In addition, two control schemes have been proposed to stabilize and synchronize the chaotic map.