Size-structured planktonic ecosystems: constraints, controls and assembly instructions.

Journal of Plankton Research
Francis J Poulin, Peter J S Franks

Abstract

Here we present a nutrient-phytoplankton-zooplankton (NPZ) model that has arbitrary size-resolution within the phytoplankton- and zooplankton-state variables. The model assumes allometric scaling of biological parameters. This particular version of the model (herbivorous zooplankton only) has analytical solutions that allow efficient exploration of the effects of allometric dependencies of various biological processes on the model's equilibrium solutions. The model shows that there are constraints on the possible combinations of allometric scalings of the biological rates that will allow ecosystems to be structured as we observe (larger organisms added as the total biomass increases). The diversity (number of size classes occupied) of the ecosystem is the result of simultaneous bottom-up and top-down control: resources determine which classes can exist; predation determines which classes do exist. Thus, the simultaneous actions of bottom-up and top-down controls are essential for maintaining and structuring planktonic ecosystems. One important conclusion from this model is that there are multiple, independent ways of obtaining any given biomass spectrum, and that the spectral slope is not, in and of itself, very informative con...Continue Reading

References

Apr 1, 1973·Radiology·H B Patriquin
Jun 25, 2004·Nature·Xabier IrigoienRoger P Harris

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Citations

May 3, 2014·PloS One·Sandip MandalHidekatsu Yamazaki
Feb 16, 2013·Journal of Mathematical Biology·Matt KloostermanFrancis J Poulin
Jul 26, 2014·Annual Review of Marine Science·Emilio Marañón
Nov 1, 2016·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Andrew H Knoll, Michael J Follows
Oct 25, 2016·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Anupam PriyadarshiHidekatsu Yamazaki
Feb 17, 2018·The ISME Journal·Christopher L FollettMichael J Follows
Jul 13, 2021·Limnology and Oceanography·Christopher L FollettMichael J Follows

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