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Cluster synchronisation: A mechanism for plankton patchiness and a simulation pitfall

Cluster synchronisation: A mechanism for plankton patchiness and a simulation pitfall
Cluster synchronisation: A mechanism for plankton patchiness and a simulation pitfall
We present a study on the emergence of spatial variability, or patchiness, in biophysical simulations of plankton ecosystems. Using a standard approach to modelling such ecosystems, we represent a distribution of plankton as a lattice of non-identical interacting oscillatory populations. Spatial variation is imposed in population parameters, such as maximum growth rate, leading to a spread in the natural (uncoupled) population properties. Using the methods of synchronisation theory, the emergent spatial structure of the coupled system is investigated as a function of the strength of interaction between populations. Surprisingly, a range of coupling strength is found to induce a tenfold increase in the spread in frequency of oscillation of populations in comparison with the uncoupled level of spatial variation. This apparent desynchronisation corresponds to the formation of temporally evolving clusters of local synchronisation: the interplay of grid-cell scale variability and dispersal between populations leads to patchiness at larger scales. However, the occurrence and length-scale of this patchiness is found to be sensitive to typical simulation parameters such as spatial resolution and strength of dispersal, with emergent spatial structure altering abruptly from patchy to homogeneous as these parameters are varied. These results indicate that whilst cluster synchronisation may be a genuine mechanism for the formation of spatial structure in plankton distributions, biophysical modellers should be aware of the possibility of artificial patchiness arising from the basic physical structure of their model.
Plankton patchiness, Synchronisation theory, Metapopulation, Biophysical modelling
1463-5003
223-233
Guirey, Emma
7ec59659-312f-427d-8c8f-09c9ac21ac1c
Martin, Adrian
9d0d480d-9b3c-44c2-aafe-bb980ed98a6d
Srokosz, Meric
1e0442ce-679f-43f2-8fe4-9a0f0174d483
Bees, Martin
6c736403-1d9b-4dd4-9d96-fe5716e5f25d
Guirey, Emma
7ec59659-312f-427d-8c8f-09c9ac21ac1c
Martin, Adrian
9d0d480d-9b3c-44c2-aafe-bb980ed98a6d
Srokosz, Meric
1e0442ce-679f-43f2-8fe4-9a0f0174d483
Bees, Martin
6c736403-1d9b-4dd4-9d96-fe5716e5f25d

Guirey, Emma, Martin, Adrian, Srokosz, Meric and Bees, Martin (2009) Cluster synchronisation: A mechanism for plankton patchiness and a simulation pitfall. Ocean Modelling, 29 (4), 223-233. (doi:10.1016/j.ocemod.2009.04.006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We present a study on the emergence of spatial variability, or patchiness, in biophysical simulations of plankton ecosystems. Using a standard approach to modelling such ecosystems, we represent a distribution of plankton as a lattice of non-identical interacting oscillatory populations. Spatial variation is imposed in population parameters, such as maximum growth rate, leading to a spread in the natural (uncoupled) population properties. Using the methods of synchronisation theory, the emergent spatial structure of the coupled system is investigated as a function of the strength of interaction between populations. Surprisingly, a range of coupling strength is found to induce a tenfold increase in the spread in frequency of oscillation of populations in comparison with the uncoupled level of spatial variation. This apparent desynchronisation corresponds to the formation of temporally evolving clusters of local synchronisation: the interplay of grid-cell scale variability and dispersal between populations leads to patchiness at larger scales. However, the occurrence and length-scale of this patchiness is found to be sensitive to typical simulation parameters such as spatial resolution and strength of dispersal, with emergent spatial structure altering abruptly from patchy to homogeneous as these parameters are varied. These results indicate that whilst cluster synchronisation may be a genuine mechanism for the formation of spatial structure in plankton distributions, biophysical modellers should be aware of the possibility of artificial patchiness arising from the basic physical structure of their model.

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More information

Published date: 2009
Keywords: Plankton patchiness, Synchronisation theory, Metapopulation, Biophysical modelling

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 66736
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/66736
ISSN: 1463-5003
PURE UUID: fc77f3c2-8209-4d65-bfc7-b6e87884455d

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Date deposited: 14 Jul 2009
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 18:35

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Contributors

Author: Emma Guirey
Author: Adrian Martin
Author: Meric Srokosz
Author: Martin Bees

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