Stochastic model for population migration and the growth of human settlements during the Neolithic transition
Fedotov, Sergei (University of Manchester. School of Mathematics)
Moss, David (University of Manchester. School of Mathematics)
Campos, Daniel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)

Date:	2008
Abstract:	We present a stochastic two-population model that describes the migration and growth of semisedentary foragers and sedentary farmers along a river valley during the Neolithic transition. The main idea is that random migration and transition from a sedentary to a foraging way of life, and backwards, is strongly coupled with the local crop production and associated degradation of land. We derive a nonlinear integral equation for the population density coupled with the equations for the density of soil nutrients and crop production. Our model provides a description of the formation of human settlements along the river valley. The numerical results show that the individual farmers have a tendency for aggregation and clustering. We show that the large-scale pattern is a transient phenomenon which eventually disappears due to land degradation.
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Published in:	Physical review. E : Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics, Vol. 78, Number 2 (August 2008) , p. 026107/1-026107/7, ISSN 1539-3755

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.78.026107

7 p, 279.5 KB

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