Population dynamics in a random environment

Abstract

We investigate the competition between barrier slowing down and proliferation induced superdiffusion in a model of population dynamics in a random force field. Numerical results in $d=1$ suggest that a new intermediate diffusion behaviour appears. We introduce the idea of proliferation assisted barrier crossing and give a Flory like argument to understand qualitatively this non trivial diffusive behaviour. A one loop RG analysis close to the critical dimension d_c=2 confirms that the random force fixed point is unstable and flows towards an uncontrolled strong coupling regime.

4 pages, 4 .eps figures. Submitted to Physical Review Letters Corrected sign in flow equation, one figure changed, abstract changed. S