Quasi-steady state approximation to a fungal growth model

Area of Science:

• Mathematical biology
• Mycology
• Ecological modeling

Background:

• Fungal growth models describe substrate colonization, nutrient uptake, and biomass incorporation.
• Previous work analyzed overall-steady-state fungal dynamics.
• Nutrient dynamics can be significantly faster than fungal biomass and substrate dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To simplify a fungal growth model using a quasi-steady-state approximation.
• To derive an explicit fungal invasion criterion.
• To characterize parameter domains for fungal invasion and extinction.

Main Methods:

• Applying a quasi-steady-state approximation to a fungal growth model.
• Deriving an explicit fungal invasion criterion.
• Analyzing the stability of the trivial steady state for short-term fungal introduction.
• Numerical validation of the invasion criterion against the full model.

Main Results:

• The quasi-steady-state approximation simplifies the full fungal growth model.
• An explicit fungal invasion criterion was derived, applicable to both carbon-limited and nitrogen-limited systems.
• The derived invasion criterion was validated numerically for the full model.
• The simplified model facilitates experimental testing of invasion dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Fungal invasion criteria are essential for understanding fungal dynamics.
• The simplified model provides a testable framework for invasion dynamics.
• The derived invasion criterion is robust and applicable to complex fungal growth scenarios.