Ben Adams
(Kyushu University)

07/01/09, 13:30 at Room 3631 (6th floor of building 3 of the Faculty of Sciences)

Theoretical biology, the construction and analysis of mathematical models to gain insight into biological systems, requires a potentially problematic blend of intuition and science. Mathematicians feel it lacks proof, empiricists feel it lacks reality and it can be difficult to strike the right balance. In this talk I will discuss a simple model, dubbed ‘daisyworld’ of vegetation- climate feedback and present analysis of a spatial extension of this model that displays non-homogeneous equilibria reminiscent of Turing patterns. I present this as a well-rounded example of theoretical biology, incorporating theory from physics, biology, philosophy and mathematics but, as will be discussed at the end, ultimately compromised by one major flaw.

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