Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (34)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Edwards, A. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Edwards, A. M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Journal of Plankton Research Vol.23 no.4 pp.389-413, 2001
© Oxford University Press 2001

Adding Detritus to a Nutrient–Phytoplankton–Zooplankton Model:A Dynamical-Systems Approach

Andrew M. Edwards

Biological Oceanography Section, Bedford Institute Of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B2y 4a2, Canada

The dynamics of two plankton population models are investigated to examine sensitivities to model complexity and to parameter values. The models simulate concentrations of nutrients, phytoplankton, zooplankton and detritus in the oceanic mixed layer. In Model 1, zooplankton can graze only upon phytoplankton, whereas in Model 2 they can graze upon phytoplankton and detritus. Both feeding strategies are employed by zooplankton in the ocean, and both are features of models in the literature. Each model here consists of four coupled ordinary differential equations, and can exhibit unforced oscillations (limit cycles) of the four concentrations. By constructing diagrams that show how steady states and oscillations persist as each parameter is varied, a general picture of the dynamics of each model is built up. The addition of the detritus pool to an earlier nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton model appears to have little influence on the dynamics when the zooplankton cannot graze upon the detritus (Model 1), but if the zooplankton can graze upon the detritus (Model 2), then the dynamics are affected in a significant way. These results, obtained using the theory of dynamical systems, enhance our knowledge of the factors governing the dynamics of plankton population models.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J PLANKTON RESHome page
G. A. Gibson, D. L. Musgrave, and S. Hinckley
Non-linear dynamics of a pelagic ecosystem model with multiple predator and prey types
J. Plankton Res., May 1, 2005; 27(5): 427 - 447.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J PLANKTON RESHome page
M. Dowd, J. L. Martin, M. M. Legresley, A. Hanke, and F. H. Page
A statistical method for the robust detection of interannual changes in plankton abundance: analysis of monitoring data from the Bay of Fundy, Canada
J. Plankton Res., May 1, 2004; 26(5): 509 - 523.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.