Guided by the predictions of a discrete-time mathematical model, we induced a sequence of bifurcations (dynamic changes) in laboratory insect populations by manipulating one of the biological parameters in the system. In particular, we were able to induce chaotic dynamics. The data from these 8-year-long time series show the fine structure of the deterministic chaotic attractor as well as lattice effects (dynamic effects arising from the fact that organisms come in discrete units). We show that "chaos" is manifest in discrete-state noisy biological systems as a tapestry of patterns that come from the deterministic chaotic attractor and the lattice attractors, all woven together by stochasticity.

References

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