Abstract
One of the most fascinating challenges in ecology involves the statistical description of movement, and the understanding of population distributions in terms of the behavior of individuals. Knowledge of plant and animal dispersal patterns is fundamental to an understanding of basic and applied issues ranging from the evolution of life history traits to the spread of genetically engineered organisms. The spatial and temporal structure of environment, and its effects upon the movements of individuals, are central issues in ecological and evolutionary theory. Seed and pollen dispersal, together with germination of dormant seeds and released growth of understory plants, play important roles in secondary successional patterns of forest communities following disturbance. Dispersal is key to the maintenance of gene flow among populations, the dynamics of pest outbreaks, the recovery of disturbed areas, and the optimal spatial design of agricultural systems and natural reserves.
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Levin, S.A. (1987). Ecological and Evolutionary Aspects of Dispersal. In: Teramoto, E., Yumaguti, M. (eds) Mathematical Topics in Population Biology, Morphogenesis and Neurosciences. Lecture Notes in Biomathematics, vol 71. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-93360-8_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-93360-8_8
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