title: Skeletons, noise and population growth: the end of an old debate?
abstract: Population dynamics models remain largely deterministic, although the presence of random fluctuations in nature is well recognized. This deterministic approach is based on the implicit assumption that systems can be separated into a deterministic part that captures the essential features of the system and a random part that can be neglected. But is it possible, in general, to understand population dynamics without the explicit consideration of random fluctuations? Here, we suggest perhaps not, and argue that the dynamics of many systems are a result of interactions between the deterministic nonlinear skeleton and noise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks, UK, SL5 7PY. t.coulson@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coulson
authors.forename: Pejman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohani
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pascual