Modelling of insect populations under stochastic environments /

Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	Whittaker, Craig, 1952-
Other Authors:	Matis, James (degree committee member.), Wehrly, Thomas (degree committee member.)
Format:	Thesis Book
Language:	English
Published:	1980.
Subjects:	Agricultural ecology. Insect populations. Insects > Behavior. Markov processes. Major industrial engineering. Academic theses
Online Access:	Link to ProQuest copy Link to OAKTrust copy ProQuest, Abstract

Description
Abstract:	This dissertation introduces two advancements in the treatment of random components within insect pest population models. Part one of the dissertation develops a model for predicting the mean and variance of a population whose development is influenced by a randomly changing environmental process. The changing environment is modelled as a semi-Markov process. The second part of the dissertation develops a stochastic model for the description of boll weevil ovipositional behavior under varying site availability. An appropriate mechanism of the insect's search and selection behavior is hypothesized and validation is accomplished on the basis of observed egg-laying frequencies.
Item Description:	"Major subject: Industrial Engineering." Typescript (photocopy). Vita.
Physical Description:	x, 134 leaves : graphs ; 29 cm
Bibliography:	Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-133).