The collapse of ecosystem engineer populations (Q1657246)

The authors' main conclusion is that overpopulation is a natural result of the population dynamics of ecosystem engineers who colonize unexplored virgin patches. When all sites are explored, the population density drops sharply to its (local) equilibrium value. Recursive equations are presented that govern local (single) dynamics, conclusions are drawn regarding the stability of fixed-point solutions. A version of the lattice of coupled maps for the discrete time model is given. The numerical solution of the equations is presented for the case when the sections are arranged in a chain with reflecting boundary conditions, and the model parameters are set so that the local dynamics is attracted by a nontrivial fixed point. The focus is on a colonization scenario in which the original engineers' settlement, located in the central section of the chain, may be dispersed into neighboring sections. The first result is that, at low mobility values, a catastrophe occurs without warning, the density force is practically constant until collapse, and the width and height of the colonization front wave are constant until the colonization front reaches the chain boundary. The disaster also does not occur at high mobility values, since the average density and front width of the colonization wave still increase when collapse occurs. The second consequence of the model is that overpopulation is a natural resultant nonlinearity of the dynamics of the expansion of the population of ecosystem engineers in unexplored habitats. However, the density of local engineers in areas that are part of the colonization front is significantly higher than the overall average density. The authors believe that the model proposed by \textit{W. S. C. Gurney} and \textit{J. H. Lawton} [``The population dynamics of ecosystem engineers'', Oikos 76, No. 2, 273--283 (1996; \url{doi:10.2307/3546200})] for studying ecosystem population dynamics, which was presented by analogy with the ecology of beavers, was able to provide interesting insights into the dynamics of the collapse of past human societies without taking into account their specific features.