Survival in fragmented habitat - A mathematical analysis of stage-structured integrodifference models

Matrix models for stage-structured populations have been very useful and successful to describa and predict the dymanics, steadt states, cycles,... of populations. Integrodifference equations are a tool to include space explicitly into time discrete population models.

We first present some analytical results on stage-structured integrodifference equations which relate directly to the study of minimal habitat size and species persistence in fragmented habitat. We then discuss the so-called dispersal success approximation which reduces the complexity of the model and makes it more easily applicable to experimental data. Finally, we present some numerical simulations for a population divided into two stages: juveniles and adults.