Description
effectiveLoad = population+competitionCoefficient*competitor; growth = growthRate*population*(1-effectiveLoad/capacity).
Ecological growth and scaling models express a chosen relationship between population, area, body mass or occupied patches. Supplied rates and exponents are model assumptions; a finite step can leave the intended physical domain.
effectiveLoad = population+competitionCoefficient*competitor; growth = growthRate*population*(1-effectiveLoad/capacity).
When to use this tool
Use Lotka Volterra Competition One Term when checking one declared ecological growth or scaling term.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter population, growthRate, capacity, competitor, competitionCoefficient. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read effectiveLoad, growth. Use the output convention below.
Require nonnegative population, competitor and competitionCoefficient and positive capacity. effectiveLoad = population+competitionCoefficient*competitor; growth = growthRate*population*(1-effectiveLoad/capacity).1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| population | Population | Required. Finite number; minimum 0. |
| growthRate | Growth Rate | Required. Finite number. |
| capacity | Capacity | Required. Finite number; strictly above 0. |
| competitor | Competitor | Required. Finite number; minimum 0. |
| competitionCoefficient | Competition Coefficient | Required. Finite number; minimum 0. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| effectiveLoad | Effective Load | Required. Finite number. |
| growth | Growth | Required. Finite number. |
{
"input": {
"population": 50,
"growthRate": 0.2,
"capacity": 100,
"competitor": 40,
"competitionCoefficient": 0.5
},
"output": {
"effectiveLoad": 70,
"growth": 3.0000000000000004
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- growthRate may be signed and uses the chosen time basis. This is one species' continuous competition-model derivative, not a time step, fitted interaction or complete two-species solution.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use validated parameters, appropriate time steps and suitable data to assess a real population or extrapolation.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Patch Colonization Extinction One Step Term
Apply one explicit Euler step of a supplied colonization-extinction occupancy model without clipping its result.
- Population Doubling Discrete Growth Factor
factor = (1+annualFraction)^years; population = initialPopulation*factor; doublingYears = ln(2)/log1p(annualFraction).