Surviving the winds through pattern formation

Toyo Vignal (Okinawa IST)

Jan 26. 2026, 10:00 — 10:30

In the Scottish Highlands, heather (Calluna vulgaris) sometimes forms strikingly regular patterns. Bands of vegetation alternate with bands of bare ground, with the whole pattern slowly moving perpendicular to the bands. I present a model where simple interactions between heather, wind, and soil are sufficient to generate periodic travelling waves similar to the real-life patterns. Heather and soil diffusion are essential components of the model, revealing how heather acts as an ecosystem engineer, extending its habitat into harsh, wind-blasted environments through pattern formation. 

Further Information
Venue:
ESI Boltzmann Lecture Hall
Associated Event:
Modelling Diffusive Systems: Theory & Biological Applications (MoDiS) (Workshop)
Organizer(s):
Valeria Giunta (Swansea U)
Annalisa Iuorio (Parthenope U of Naples)
Angelika Manhart (U of Vienna)
Cinzia Soresina (U of Trento)