Some recent developments on linear determinacy

Abstract

The process of invasion is fundamental to the study of the dynamics of ecological and epidemiological systems. Quantitatively, a crucial measure of species' invasiveness is given by the rate at which it spreads into new open environments. The so-called "linear determinacy" conjecture equates full nonlinear model spread rates with the spread rates computed from linearized systems with the linearization carried out around the leading edge of the invasion. A survey that accounts for recent developments in the identification of conditions under which linear determinacy gives the "right" answer, particularly in the context of non-compact and non-cooperative systems, is the thrust of this contribution. Novel results that extend some of the research linked to some the contributions covered in this survey are also discussed.