Survival of the Scarcer
Abstract
We investigate extinction dynamics in the paradigmatic model of two competing species A and B that reproduce (A-->2A, B-->2B), self-regulate by annihilation (2A-->0, 2B-->0), and compete (A+B-->A, A+B-->B). For a finite system that is in the well-mixed limit, a quasi-stationary state arises which describes coexistence of the two species. Because of discrete noise, both species eventually become extinct in time that is exponentially long in the quasi-stationary population size. For a sizable range of asymmetries in the growth and competition rates, the paradoxical situation arises in which the numerically disadvantaged species according to the deterministic rate equations survives much longer.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1210.0018,
title = {Survival of the Scarcer},
author = {Alan Gabel and Baruch Meerson and S. Redner},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1210.0018},
year = {2014}
}
Comments
5 pages, 2-column revtex4-1 format; current revision has stylistic changes in response to referees, for publication in PRE Rapid Communications