1. Wave of chaos in a diffusive system: Generating realistic patterns of patchiness in plankton–fish dynamics
- Author
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Upadhyay, Ranjit Kumar, Kumari, Nitu, and Rai, Vikas
- Subjects
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CHAOS theory , *WAVE mechanics , *DIFFUSION in hydrology , *COMPUTER simulation , *MARINE phytoplankton , *SPATIO-temporal variation , *PREDATION , *PATTERN formation (Physical sciences) - Abstract
Abstract: We show that wave of chaos (WOC) can generate two-dimensional time-independent spatial patterns which can be a potential candidate for understanding planktonic patchiness observed in marine environments. These spatio-temporal patterns were obtained in computer simulations of a minimal model of phytoplankton–zooplankton dynamics driven by forces of diffusion. We also attempt to figure out the average lifetimes of these non-linear non-equilibrium patterns. These spatial patterns serve as a realistic model for patchiness found in aquatic systems (e.g., marine and oceanic). Additionally, spatio-temporal chaos produced by bi-directional WOCs is robust to changes in key parameters of the system; e.g., intra-specific competition among individuals of phytoplankton and the rate of fish predation. The ideas contained in the present paper may find applications in diverse fields of human endeavor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
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