Guirey, E.J., Bees, M.A., Martin, A.P., Srokosz, M.A. and Fasham, M.J.R. (2007) Emergent features due to grid-cell biology: synchronisation in biophysical models. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 69(4), pp. 1401-1422. (doi: 10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y)
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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y
Abstract
Modelling studies of upper ocean phenomena, such as that of the spatial and temporal patchiness in plankton distributions, typically employ coupled biophysical models, with biology in each grid-cell represented by a plankton ecosystem model. It has not generally been considered what impact the choice of grid-cell ecosystem model, from the many developed in the literature, might have upon the results of such a study. We use the methods of synchronisation theory, which is concerned with ensembles of interacting oscillators, to address this question, considering the simplest possible case of a chain of identically represented interacting plankton grid-cells. It is shown that the ability of the system to exhibit stably homogeneous (fully synchronised) dynamics depends crucially upon the choice of biological model and number of grid-cells, with dynamics changing dramatically at a threshold strength of mixing between grid-cells. Consequently, for modelling studies of the ocean the resolution chosen, and therefore number of grid-cells used, could drastically alter the emergent features of the model. It is shown that chaotic ecosystem dynamics, in particular, should be used with care.
Item Type: | Articles |
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Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Bees, Dr Martin |
Authors: | Guirey, E.J., Bees, M.A., Martin, A.P., Srokosz, M.A., and Fasham, M.J.R. |
Subjects: | Q Science > QA Mathematics Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology |
College/School: | College of Science and Engineering > School of Mathematics and Statistics > Mathematics |
Journal Name: | Bulletin of Mathematical Biology |
ISSN: | 0092-8240 |
ISSN (Online): | 1522-9602 |
Published Online: | 15 March 2007 |
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