Title

A Kolmogorov-type competition model with multiple coexistence states and its applications to plant competition for sunlight

Authors

Authors

W. Just;A. L. Nevai

Comments

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Abstract

It is demonstrated that a Kolmogorov-type competition model featuring species allocation and gain functions can possess multiple coexistence states. Two examples are constructed: one in which the two competing species possess rectangular allocation functions but distinct gain functions, and the other in which one species has a rectangular allocation function, the second species has a bi-rectangular allocation function, and the two species share a common gain function. In both examples, it is shown that the species nullclines may intersect multiple times within the interior of the first quadrant, thus creating both locally stable and unstable equilibrium points. These results have important applications in the study of plant competition for sunlight, in which the allocation functions describe the vertical placement of leaves for two competing species, and the gain functions represent rates of photosynthesis performed by leaves at different heights when shaded by overlying leaves belonging to either species. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Journal Title

Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications

Volume

348

Issue/Number

2

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Document Type

Article

First Page

620

Last Page

636

WOS Identifier

WOS:000259588700006

ISSN

0022-247X

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