Is dispersal always beneficial to carrying capacity? New insights from the multi-patch logistic equation

Arditi, Roger; Lobry, Claude; Sari, Tewfik

doi:10.1016/j.tpb.2015.10.001

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Journal article

Is dispersal always beneficial to carrying capacity? New insights from the multi-patch logistic equation

Arditi, Roger University of Fribourg, Department of Biology, Switzerland - Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences (iEES-Paris), Paris, France
Lobry, Claude INRA, INRIA, Projet Modemic, UMR Mistea, Montpellier, France - Université de Nice-Sophia-Antipolis, France
Sari, Tewfik IRSTEA, UMR Itap, Montpellier, France - Université de Haute Alsace, Mulhouse, France

16.10.2015

Published in:

Theoretical Population Biology. - 2015, vol. 106, p. 45–59

English The standard model for the dynamics of a fragmented density-dependent population is built from several local logistic models coupled by migrations. First introduced in the 1970s and used in innumerable articles, this standard model applied to a two-patch situation has never been completely analysed. Here, we complete this analysis and we delineate the conditions under which fragmentation associated to dispersal is either beneficial or detrimental to total population abundance. Therefore, this is a contribution to the SLOSS question. Importantly, we also show that, depending on the underlying mechanism, there is no unique way to generalize the logistic model to a patchy situation. In many cases, the standard model is not the correct generalization. We analyse several alternative models and compare their predictions. Finally, we emphasize the shortcomings of the logistic model when written in the rr-KK parameterization and we explain why Verhulst’s original polynomial expression is to be preferred.

Faculty

Faculté des sciences et de médecine

Department

Département de Biologie

Language