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How a rare species might become a pest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2009

Phil Diamond
Phil Diamond
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland.
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Abstract

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A model is proposed for the population growth of a rare species after predation pressure is lifted. A geometric probability argument is used to suggest that, as population density increases, breeding encounters become more frequent and the consequent rate of increase is much steeper than the exponential. This may explain the population explosion of crown-of-thorns starfish recorded recently.

Type
Research Article
Information
Bulletin of the Australian Mathematical Society , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , August 1974 , pp. 5 - 9
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Mathematical Society 1974

References

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