Mathematical Biology
SCCC 411B, Spring 1997
University of South Carolina

Professor Matt Miller
miller@math.sc.edu
Department of Mathematics
 Professor Dave Wethey
wethey@biol.sc.edu
Department of Biological Sciences

Mar 4-6: Nonlinear difference equations: cobweb analysis

This week

  • Read May 1974 "Biological populations with nonoverlapping generations: stable points, stable cycles and chaos", Science 186: 645-647
  • Skim Oster and May 1976 "Bifurcations and dynamic complexity", American Naturalist 110: 573-599. This paper explains the patterns that May found in his 1974 paper
  • Read E-K pp 3-11, 19-21, 39-44 (lightly skim), and 44-55 on difference equations; the figures in section 2.5 are especially worthwhile
  • Go through the Maple worksheet chaos.mws
  • Work on projects
  • PROJECT ORAL REPORTS (final written versions are due 3 pm on Friday, Mar 7)

    • Next week

  • SPRING BREAK -- but when fun in the sun starts to get a little boring:
  • E-K p 32 problem 14ab and p 62 problems 3, 4, 11, 16 will make a nice transition back into the course