Organizers:
Daozhou Gao (Cleveland State University), Xingfu Zou, University of Western Ontario
Description:
Animal dispersal and human movement play a key role in ecology and epidemiology. Species with limited dispersal abilities are more likely to go extinct, especially in the face of habitat fragmentation and climate change. Meanwhile, massive travel and tourism accelerate the global spread of infectious agents. Mathematical models serve as powerful tools for describing and predicting population growth and the spatial-temporal spread of diseases. There are strong connections between population dynamics and disease dynamics, particularly when spatial heterogeneity and population mobility are concerned. By integrating ecological and epidemiological insights, such models provide valuable frameworks for conservation strategies, public health interventions, and policy planning. Despite substantial advances in model formulations, analysis and applications, some major challenges persist. These challenges include accounting for nonlinear interactions, understanding pathogen persistence in fluctuating environments, and addressing computational limitations in high-dimensional systems. The eight invited talks will cover topics on (1) diffusive population model; (2) pathogen persistence in variable environments; (3) partially degenerate reaction-diffusion system; (4) toxicant-taxis model. This mini-symposium provides a great opportunity to showcase some recent progresses in addressing these challenges, exchange ideas and foster interdisciplinary collaborations among diverse researchers.
Sebastian Schreiber
University of California, Davis"Impacts of the Tempo and Mode of Environmental Fluctuations on Population Growth"
Adrian Lam
Ohio State University"Can Spatial Heterogeneity Alone Lead to Selection for Dispersal?"
Yijun Lou
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University"Dynamics of a Reaction-diffusion System with Time-periodic and Spatially Dependent Delay: A Quotient Space Approach"
Chunyi Gai
University of Northern British Columbia"Resource-mediated Competition between Two Plant Species with Different Rates of Water Intake"
