Control, synchrony and the persistence of chaotic populations

The existence of deterministic chaos has been reported to date for a small number of real ecosystems. However, advances in the quest for chaos may include the application of chaos control techniques. In this paper, we study a model system, that of vegetation–hares–lynx interactions, in order to show the effects that control may exert on the structure and dynamics of the populations at play. Control techniques work effectively not only under the deterministic description, but also under assumptions of demographic and environmental stochasticity and even using spatially oriented approaches. Finally, some outlines are drawn with respect to the ecological consequences of applying chaos control in real ecosystems.