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SUMMARY:Feedback and Robustness in Population Dynamics - Professor Stuart 
 Townley (School of Engineering\, Computing and Mathematics\, University of
  Exeter)
DTSTART:20090403T130000Z
DTEND:20090403T140000Z
UID:TALK17420@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Guy-Bart Stan
DESCRIPTION:The familiar control systems notions of feedback\, parameter u
 ncertainty and robustness are highly relevant in biological and ecological
  processes. So the usual small gain theorems  and stability criteria ought
  to be very useful. However\, in the case of biological applications\, oth
 er aspects such as positive systems and monotonicity also come in to play.
  In this talk we will focus on two examples: Density dependence (nonlinear
 ity) in models of endangered plants and parametric uncertainty in generic 
 population projection models (PPMs). Within this framework of positive sys
 tems\, we use small gain type theorems to establish existence of GAS equil
 ibria in the plant models and a simple characterisation of growth rates to
  characterise the growth-decline boundary for PPMs. The talk is based on j
 oint work with the Control Theory - Math Biology collaboration at the Univ
 ersity of Nebraska (Richard Rebarber\, Brigitte Tenhumberg).
LOCATION:Cambridge University Engineering Department\, Lecture Room 5
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