Vegetation dynamics: A deterministic modelling approach using the concept of spreadability

Summary Various approaches have been developed for modelling processes related to vegetation dynamics. Most of them are biogeographical models (empirical) or dynamical models. Recent development in dynamical systems analysis has led to the investigation of an original concept essentially motivated by vegetation migration. It is the so-called spreadability concept developed by El Jai et al. (1994). The purpose of this paper is to consider this new idea and to show how it can lead to dynamical models which describe the expansion of a vegetation area. We give some mathematical examples showing the migration of the system state and also present some results related to control and numerical implementation of such systems. These results are, at the moment, completely academic, but they can be usefully applied in the analysis of real ecosystems and the dynamics that govern the behaviour of these systems.With 6 Figures