Mathematical modeling of colony formation in algal blooms: phenotypic plasticity in cyanobacteria |
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Authors: | Hiroshi Serizawa Takashi Amemiya Takatoshi Enomoto Axel G Rossberg Kiminori Itoh |
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Institution: | (1) Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan;(2) Evolution and Ecology Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, 2361 Laxenburg, Austria |
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Abstract: | In this paper, we analyzed a mathematical model of algal-grazer dynamics, including the effect of colony formation, which
is an example of phenotypic plasticity. The model consists of three variables, which correspond to the biomasses of unicellular
algae, colonial algae, and herbivorous zooplankton. Among these organisms, colonial algae are the main components of algal
blooms. This aquatic system has two stable attractors, which can be identified as a zooplankton-dominated (ZD) state and an
algal-dominated (AD) state, respectively. Assuming that the handling time of zooplankton on colonial algae increases with
the colonial algae biomass, we discovered that bistability can occur within the model system. The applicability of alternative
stable states in algae-grazer dynamics as a framework for explaining the algal blooms in real lake ecosystems, thus, seems
to depend on whether the assumption mentioned above is met in natural circumstances. |
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Keywords: | Bistability Colony size Defensive morphology Handling time Selective feeding |
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