Invasive species have been recognized as a leading threat to biodiversity. In particular, lakes are especially affected by species invasions because they are closed systems sensitive to disruption. Accurately controlling the spread of invasive species requires solving a complex spatial-dynamic optimization problem. In this work we propose a novel framework for determining the optimal management strategy to maximize the value of a lake system net of damages from invasive species, including an endogenous diffusion mechanism for the spread of invasive species through boaters' trips between lakes. The proposed method includes a combined global iterative process which determines the optimal number of trips to each lake in each season and the spatial-dynamic optimal boat ramp fee.
@article{arxiv.1809.05621,
title = {Optimal spatial-dynamic management to minimize the damages caused by aquatic invasive species},
author = {Katherine Y. Zipp and Yangqingxiang Wu and Kaiyi Wu and Ludmil T. Zikatanov},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1809.05621},
year = {2018}
}