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Further considerations on the statistical mechanics of biological associations

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Abstract

In this continuation of a previous report it is shown how the Volterra population dynamics, which underlies the statistical theory, can be based on a variational principle; how the dynamics can be generalized as regards both the behavior of total populations and migration phenomena; and how many directly observable data, such as amplitudes and frequencies of oscillation of a population, fit into the statistical theory and can test it. Such a test is carried out in some detail using the fox-catch data of Elton, with a clear indication that the theory is capable of comprehending the major statistical properties of population-time curves. A final section sketches an extension of the theory to cover secular variations of external conditions such as temperature of the environment.

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Kerner, E.H. Further considerations on the statistical mechanics of biological associations. Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics 21, 217–255 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02476361

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02476361

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