MEASUREMENT OF SELF-ORGANIZATION IN ARID ECOSYSTEMS

In semi-arid environments, vegetation is not homogeneous, but rather self-organized into spatial patterns. And spatial patterns of vegetation are a central feature of these semi-arid areas. Thus, in this paper, we give detailed analysis of a vegetation model in arid ecosystems. According to the dispersion relation formula, we discuss the changes of the wavelength, with respect to the rainfall and plant mortality rate. The obtained results show that, as rainfall being decreased, spotted, striped and "black-eye" patterns emerge successively.