A phylogeny of biological patterns formed by nonlocal advection

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Giunta, Valeria, Hillen, Thomas, Lewis, Mark A., Potts, Jonathan R.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Giunta, Valeria
Hillen, Thomas
Lewis, Mark A.
Potts, Jonathan R.
author_facet Giunta, Valeria
Hillen, Thomas
Lewis, Mark A.
Potts, Jonathan R.
contents From tumour invasion to cell sorting and animal territoriality, many biological systems rely on nonlocal interactions that drive complex spatial organisation. Partial differential equations (PDEs) with nonlocal advection are increasingly recognised as powerful tools for capturing such phenomena. However, most research has focused on one-dimensional domains, leaving their two-dimensional behaviour largely unexplored. Here, we present a detailed numerical study of the patterns formed by these systems on 2D domains. Depending on the underlying mechanisms, a wide variety of spatial patterns can emerge - including segregated clusters, stripes, volcanos, and polygonal mosaics - many of which have been observed in natural systems. By systematically varying model parameters, we classify the links between emergent patterns and their underlying movement mechanisms. In comparing these patterns with empirical observations, we show how this modelling framework can help reveal possible mechanisms of self-organisation in various situations within the life sciences, from ecology and developmental biology to cancer research.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_00489
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A phylogeny of biological patterns formed by nonlocal advection
Giunta, Valeria
Hillen, Thomas
Lewis, Mark A.
Potts, Jonathan R.
Populations and Evolution
Analysis of PDEs
From tumour invasion to cell sorting and animal territoriality, many biological systems rely on nonlocal interactions that drive complex spatial organisation. Partial differential equations (PDEs) with nonlocal advection are increasingly recognised as powerful tools for capturing such phenomena. However, most research has focused on one-dimensional domains, leaving their two-dimensional behaviour largely unexplored. Here, we present a detailed numerical study of the patterns formed by these systems on 2D domains. Depending on the underlying mechanisms, a wide variety of spatial patterns can emerge - including segregated clusters, stripes, volcanos, and polygonal mosaics - many of which have been observed in natural systems. By systematically varying model parameters, we classify the links between emergent patterns and their underlying movement mechanisms. In comparing these patterns with empirical observations, we show how this modelling framework can help reveal possible mechanisms of self-organisation in various situations within the life sciences, from ecology and developmental biology to cancer research.
title A phylogeny of biological patterns formed by nonlocal advection
topic Populations and Evolution
Analysis of PDEs
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.00489