The iEco Lab’s mathematical modeling paper on the population dynamics of the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is out in the Journal of Mathematical Biology! The manuscript presents a partial differential equation (PDE) model of life stage abundances in an SLF population over time, featuring biological parameters calibrated to emerging SLF data with a strong emphasis on sensitivities to seasonal temperature patterns. An SLF “reproductive number” is computed across a broad range of temperature profiles, which functions to provide predictions for establishment potential across the United States. In addition to biological insight, the manuscript also presents a novel computational method for solving the model equations, which improves accuracy and efficiency for this type of biological model (known as a “stage-age-structured model”). This paper was authored by iEcoLab postdoc Stephanie Lewkiewicz and coauthored by Drs. Seba De Bona, Matthew Helmus, and Benjamin Seibold.
The diapause model of temperature suitability for SLF