Catastrophic dynamics: How to avoid population extinction?

Abstract

Individual-based model of the dynamics of population with non-overlapping generation with explicitly introduced resources and unequal partitioning of them between competing individuals is analysed. Individual variability in assimilation of resources influences population persistence measured by population extinction time. The case of small individual variability and short extinction time is considered to show how different ecological mechanisms can increase population persistence: winter mortality, various types of summer mortality, metapopulation dynamics and continuous and seasonal resources. Mortality can increase population extinction time, but in the case of individual variability it is important which individuals are subject to mortality. Most effective in increasing population persistence are environmental factors: heterogeneity of environment and seasonality of resource dynamics.