The problem of finite-dimensional asymptotics of infinite-dimensional dynamic systems is studied. A non-linear kinetic system with conservation of supports for distributions has generically finite-dimensional asymptotics. Such systems are apparent in many areas of biology, physics (the theory of parametric wave interaction), chemistry and economics. This conservation of support has a biological interpretation: inheritance. The finite-dimensional asymptotics demonstrates effects of “natural” selection. Estimations of the asymptotic dimension are presented. After some initial time, solution of a kinetic equation with conservation of support becomes a finite set of narrow peaks that become increasingly narrow over time and move increasingly slowly. It is possible that these peaks do not tend to fixed positions, and the path covered tends to infinity as t$\to$∞. The drift equations for peak motion are obtained. Various types of distribution stability are studied: internal stability (stability with respect to perturbations that do not extend the support), external stability or uninvadability (stability with respect to strongly small perturbations that extend the support), and stable realizability (stability with respect to small shifts and extensions of the density peaks). Models of self-synchronization of cell division are studied, as an example of selection in systems with additional symmetry. Appropriate construction of the notion of typicalness in infinite-dimensional space is discussed, and the notion of “completely thin” sets is introduced.

Whether the size of an animal population is environmentally limited or regulated by density dependent negative feedback mechanisms is of ecological interest. Proponents of limitation theory have issued a set of specific challenges which are addressed in this paper using field data for the insect Tipula paludosa. This species is known to be subject to population crashes caused by adverse environmental conditions and assumed to be limited. We re-examine published data in support of this hypothesis and show that there is also evidence of negative feedback between generations. Meta-analyses of annual count data from individual fields, and regional surveys provide further evidence of negative feedback and it is concluded that population regulation occurs at both local and regional scales. Evidence from other studies is used to propose that cannibalism is the causative mechanism. Since similar negative feedback responses were apparent under both normal and environmentally limiting conditions when populations crash, a single population model that could simulate the differing regional dynamics observed from the annual surveys was produced. We conclude that the range of annual fluctuations observed in T. paludosa populations is the outcome of both limiting and regulating processes, confirming from field observations that these are not exclusive mechanisms.

Seasonal forcing is identified as a key pattern generating mechanism in an epidemic model of rabies dispersal. We reduce an established individual-based high-detail model down to a deterministic conceptual model. The characteristic wave pattern characterized by high densities of infected individuals is maintained throughout the reduction process. In our model it is evident that seasonal forcing is the dominant factor that drives pattern formation. In particular we show that seasonal forcing can cause splitting of epidemic wave fronts.

We present a three species model describing the degradation of substrate by two competing populations of microorganisms in a marine sediment. Considering diffusion to be the main transport process, we obtain a reaction diffusion system (RDS) which we study in terms of spontaneous pattern formation. We find that the conditions for patterns to evolve are likely to be fulfilled in the sediment. Additionally, we present simulations that are consistent with experimental data from the literature. We focus on the interaction between pattern formation and non-uniform forcing, which naturally occurs in our model, since layers closer to the sea water are richer in particular chemicals than deeper layers. We find that heterogeneous forcing has a strong impact on the structures that evolve, leading to the formation of banded structures or even pulses instead of the well-known Turing patterns.

With a reaction-diffusion system, we consider the dispersing two-species Lotka-Volterra model with a temporally periodic interruption of the interspecific competitive relationship. We assume that the competition coefficient becomes a given positive constant and zero by turns periodically in time. We investigate the condition for the coexistence of two competing species in space, especially in the bistable case for the population dynamics without dispersion. We could find that the spatial coexistence, that is, the spatially mutual invasion of two competing species appears with two opposite-directed travelling waves if a condition for the temporal interruption of the interspecific relationship is satisfied. Further, we give a suggested mathematical expression of the velocity of travelling waves.

A conceptual minimal model demonstrating spatially heterogeneous wave regimes interpreted as pursuit-evasion in predator-prey system is constructed and investigated. The model is based on the earlier proposed hypothesis that taxis accelerations of prey and predators are proportional to the density gradient of another population playing a role of taxis stimulus. Considering acceleration rather than immediate velocity allows obtaining realistic solutions even while ignoring variations of total abundances of both modelled populations. Linear analysis of the model shows that stationary homogeneous regime becomes oscillatory unstable with respect to small heterogeneous perturbations if either taxis activities or total population abundances are high enough. The ability for active directed movement of both prey and predators is the necessary condition for spatial self-organization. Numerical simulations illustrate analytical results. The relation between the proposed model and conventional two-component systems with cross-diffusion is discussed.

The nonlocal Fisher equation has been proposed as a simple model exhibiting Turing instability and the interpretation refers to adaptive evolution. By analogy with other formalisms used in adaptive dynamics, it is expected that concentration phenomena (like convergence to a sum of Dirac masses) will happen in the limit of small mutations. In the present work we study this asymptotics by using a change of variables that leads to a constrained Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We prove the convergence analytically and illustrate it numerically. We also illustrate numerically how the constraint is related to the concentration points. We investigate numerically some features of these concentration points such as their weights and their numbers. We show analytically how the constrained Hamilton-Jacobi gives the so-called canonical equation relating their motion with the selection gradient. We illustrate this point numerically.