title: Labyrinthine clustering in a spatial rock-paper-scissors ecosystem.
abstract: The spatial rock-paper-scissors ecosystem, where three species interact cyclically, is a model example of how spatial structure can maintain biodiversity. We here consider such a system for a broad range of interaction rates. When one species grows very slowly, this species and its prey dominate the system by self-organizing into a labyrinthine configuration in which the third species propagates. The cluster size distributions of the two dominating species have heavy tails and the configuration is stabilized through a complex spatial feedback loop. We introduce a statistical measure that quantifies the amount of clustering in the spatial system by comparison with its mean-field approximation. Hereby, we are able to quantitatively explain how the labyrinthine configuration slows down the dynamics and stabilizes the system.
authors.affiliation: Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jeppe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Juul
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sneppen
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method