Matthew Kaproth
Bio [2008]
Matthew Kaproth is a PhD student in plant biology at the University of
Vermont, advised by Jane Molofsky and planning to graduate in 2011.
He has a 2008 MS in biology from West Virginia University.
He has a particularly strong interest in invasive species. He has
conducted numerous studies using plants, such as purple loosestrife
(Lythrum salicaria) and the tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus
altissima), focusing on their invasive patterns of spread.
He hopes to develop his skills in spatially explicit modeling, combing
habitat characterizations, plant demography, and GIS analysis. He
hopes that computer modeling may allow for not only predictions of
where a species will spread, but also when and under what
circumstances this invasion may change.
Project Title
Using Two-Dimensional Cellular Automaton with Memory to Model Invasive
Growth
Project
Invasive growth will be investigated using outer totalistic
two-dimensional cellular automata with memory as a model system by
exploring their range of behavior (i.e. what they do). The memory
inclusion will serve as a
signature of a persisting establishment to identify patterns that match
behavior expected for invasive species--specifically a reduction of the
Allee effects (non-viable populations due to low rates of reproduction in
a sub-critical density establishment; Allee 1931).
With an establishing species, one of three outcomes is typically seen:
die-off, naturalization, or invasion. If the starting population is
low, one may see an Allee effect (die-off), due to the inability to
reproduce or withstand dynamic disturbances. The outer totalistic,
four-neighbor, two-dimensional cellular automaton (with and without
memory) rule space will be systematically explored for outcome regime
change, using varying initial conditions (e.g. density). The
advantage of finding a simple rule depicting this pattern may allow
positing of what basic mechanisms drive invasive behavior and
population viability.
Reference
Alee, W. C. Animal Aggregations: A Study in General Sociology.
University of Chicago Press, 1931.
Favorite Radius 3/2 Rule
Rule chosen: 9882
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