SPATIALLY INDUCED BIFURCATIONS IN SINGLE-SPECIES POPULATION-DYNAMICS

1. The paper by Hassell, Lawton & May (1976) on the characterization o f natural population dynamics by fitting field and laboratory data to a discrete model is reviewed. In particular, we study the effects of s patial degrees of freedom on the qualitative behaviour of such single population maps. 2. Using the spatially extended counterpart of these discrete systems by means of the Coupled Map Lattice formalism, we sho w that space is able to induce dynamical bifurcations. 3. As the spati al domain is increased, the stability boundaries in the parameter spac e are modified, driving the population through different kinds of dyna mics. The same result is reached by increasing the diffusion rate for a given lattice size. 4. Our results suggest that the dynamical behavi our shown by a population depends not only on intrinsic factors, but a lso on external or environmental ones. Some evidence from field studie s is also discussed.