Spatial pattern and power function deviation in a cellular automata model of an ant population

TL;DR

This paper investigates a spatially explicit cellular automata model of arboreal nesting ants, focusing on spatial patterns, criticality, and power law deviations to understand ant population dynamics.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of criticality and power law deviations in a cellular automata model for ant populations, extending previous models with new insights.

Findings

Identification of criticality in ant population patterns

Observation of power law deviations in spatial distributions

Insights into robustness of critical states in the model

Abstract

A spatially explicit model previously developed to apply to a population of arboreal nesting ants in southern Mexico is explored in detail, including notions of criticality and robust criticality and expected power law adjustment.