A Diffusion Model for Dispersal of Opuntia Imbricata (Cholla) on Rangeland

The dispersal of Opuntia imbricata (cholla) on rangeland may be directly or indirectly affected by the presence of livestock and wildlife. Overgrazing creates gaps or open spaces for seeds or stems that fall to the ground to become established (passive dispersal). In addition, liverstock or wildlife may cause stems and fruits to fall to the ground (active dispersal). A theoretical model is formulated for the dispersal of plants based on the diffusion equation which assumes one or more mechanisms of dispersal (e.g. passive and active dispersal) (...)