We present Spatial P systems, a variant of P systems which embodies the concept of space and position inside a membrane. Objects
in membranes are associated with positions. Rules specify, in the usual way, the objects which are consumed and the ones which
are produced; in addition, they can specify the positions of the produced objects. Objects belong to two different sets: the
set of ordinary objects and the set of mutually exclusive objects. Every position inside a membrane can accommodate an arbitrary number of ordinary objects, but at most one mutually
exclusive object. We prove that Spatial P systems are universal even if only non-cooperating rules are allowed. We also show
how Spatial P systems can be used to model the evolution of populations in presence of geographical separations.
Keywords Membrane computing – P systems – Spatial modeling – Universality