Dispersal vs. stochasticity: Competition for persistence in a reaction-diffusion model with strong Allee dynamics

In ecological and population dynamics, the coupling between random perturbations and the Allee effect could drive small and confined populations of rare species to extinction. In this paper, we propose a general model for describing spatio-temporal dynamics characterized by demographic Allee growth. In this approach, we include the combined contribution of stochasticity and spatial processes, typically dispersal, which is scarcely explored in the literature. The model is formulated in a reaction-diffusion framework, where the dynamics is regulated by a typical Allee–dispersal evolution and the resilience to white noise is probed at different perturbation amplitudes. Preliminary results show that dispersal processes can compensate random fluctuations to favor the stabilization of the species establishment.

► We model the dynamics of confined populations characterized by demographic Allee growth. ► Stochasticity and spatial processes have been considered in a reaction-diffusion framework. ► Random noise can induce a bifurcation leading the species to extinction. ► Dispersal processes can compensate random fluctuations and stabilize the species population.