Spatial assortment of mixed propagules explains the acceleration of range expansion.

ABSTRACT: Range expansion of spreading organisms has been found to follow three types: (i) linear expansion with a constant rate of spread; (ii) bi-phase expansion with a faster linear expansion following a slower linear expansion; and (iii) accelerating expansion with a continuously increasing rate of spread. To date, no overarching formula exists that can be applied to all three types of range expansion. We investigated how propagule pressure, i.e., the initial number of individuals and their composition in terms of dispersal ability, affects the spread of a population. A system of integrodifference equations was then used to model the spatiotemporal dynamics of the population. We studied the dynamics of dispersal ability as well as the instantaneous and asymptotic rate of spread. We found that in

SUBMITTER: Ramanantoanina A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4126666 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature