Joydeep Singha

Joydeep is a researcher in nonlinear dynamics and ecological pattern formation. After earning a Ph.D. studying complex behavior in nonlinear networks, he shifted focus toward understanding how mathematical principles of pattern formation manifest in natural ecosystems. His research applies tools from nonlinear science to explore how interactions between organisms and their environment generate spatial patterns in ecological systems, aiming to uncover fundamental mechanisms that shape complex natural landscapes.

Research Project: Learning mediated herbivory

This project develops a dynamical systems model to study how vegetation, water, herbivores, and animal learning interact to shape ecosystem dynamics. The model consists of four coupled components: vegetation biomass, water, herbivore density and a familiarity field,  that represents the memory herbivores have of previously visited foraging locations. In the non-spatial formulation, the model captures the core ecological feedbacks between plant growth, water availability, and herbivore consumption, while also incorporating behavioral processes such as learning and forgetting that influence how animals use the landscape. The project extends this framework in two key directions: space and strategy. Incorporating space allows the variables to vary across the landscape, enabling the study of spatial redistribution of vegetation, water, herbivores, and familiarity. This spatial extension makes it possible to investigate the emergence of ecological patterns and heterogeneous grazing landscapes resulting from local interactions and movement. The second extension introduces strategy through learning-driven movement. Herbivores modify their movement based on the familiarity field which increases when locations are successfully exploited and gradually decays through forgetting and environmental turnover. As a result, animals preferentially revisit profitable patches while still exploring new areas. Together, these elements allow the model to explore how ecological feedbacks, spatial processes, and adaptive foraging strategies interact to influence ecosystem stability, vegetation persistence, and the formation of spatial structure in grazed landscapes.