The use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), where approved antivirals are administered to uninfected high-risk individuals, is universally regarded as a promising strategy to prevent susceptible high-risk individuals from acquiring HIV infection from their infected partners. A number of antiviral drugs (and their combinations) have been developed and are being used as prophylaxis against the...
Tulips have captivated human interest for centuries, with their vibrant colors and unique shapes. Particularly striped tulips have been highly popular, leading to the โtulipomaniaโ in the Dutch Golden Age. But how do the tulips get their stripes? Maybe Turing can help?
Modeling coral ecosystems in a theoretical framework typically focuses on tradeoffs between coral, algae, and grazing fish populations, highlighting its bistable dynamics; however, spatial understanding of this system is often suppressed. Analysis of models with spatial features is crucial, as degraded, patchy reef systems become more common, and the size, clustering, or overall connectivity...
It has become increasingly evident that evolution can take place in ecological time scales. One such example is that of evolution of dispersal during range expansion. As individuals with higher motility get to the leading edge faster, if these individuals benefit from low competition therein, they reproduce, and their offspring are then equally able to colonize unexplored regions. Over time,...
Ant colonies regulate foraging via nest-entrance contacts and short-lived pheromone cues. We propose a mechanistic mathematical model tracking an entrance pool, outbound foragers, successful and unsuccessful returners, and a transient pheromone signal. Analytic reductions connect equilibrium geometry to colony-level regimes. In the contact-only limit, a forager generation number and a...
Understanding the mechanisms underlying the self-organisation of mobile organisms is a central question in spatial ecology and population dynamics. In many biological systems, individuals - from cells to animals - sense their environment before moving, leading naturally to nonlocal movement responses. Empirical evidence increasingly supports the importance of such nonlocal interactions, and...
Spatiotemporal population dynamics are often modeled using reactionโdiffusion equations, yet analytical insight into the role of movement and network structure remains limited. In this talk, we present a metapopulation framework based on coupled ordinary differential equations on networks, focusing on regimes where dispersal is faster than local growth. Using tools from matrix analysis and...
Tipping points (critical transitions) are abrupt, often irreversible shifts in dynamical systems that can be triggered by small changes. This talk tackles two questions: how to predict tipping early and why tipping occurs. In this talk, I will demonstrate how combining tipping-point ideas with machine learning can enhance early-stage outbreak prediction using limited epidemic data. I will then...
Supported by the SMB Population Dynamics, Ecology and Evolution subgroup, this mini-symposium will bring together a diverse set of researchers developing and analyzing mathematical models that address timely questions in evolutionary dynamics, population biology, ecological systems, and related areas at their interfaces. This session aims to provide a collegial forum for presenting new...
