Quantifying the complexity of simulated spatiotemporal population dynamics

Abstract

Spatially explicit models in ecology permit the investigation of population dynamics in both space and time. The resultant spatiotemporal dynamics is often irregular and patchy, giving rise to intricate spatial patterns that can be difficult to characterise. Here, the question of how to characterise the spatiotemporal dynamics of simulated populations is addressed and a method of quantifying the complexity of patchy vegetation dynamics is proposed. The method is inspired by information-based measures of complexity and entropy and can distinguish between ordered, disordered (random) and complex (patchy) spatiotemporal mosaics. The method is demonstrated using data generated by the individual-based, multi-species model WIST.