How turbulence regulates biodiversity in systems with cyclic competition

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Fluid Dynamics
• Theoretical Biology

Background:

• Cyclic, nonhierarchical species interactions promote biodiversity.
• Species coexistence is limited in well-mixed environments, often leading to biodiversity loss.
• Spatially extended systems with limited dispersal can support coexistence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate biodiversity maintenance in fluid environments with turbulent advection and diffusion.
• To analyze cyclic competition models within a fluid dynamical context.
• To determine conditions for species coexistence under uniform external resources.

Main Methods:

• Numerical analysis of a model combining turbulent advection, diffusion, and cyclic species interactions in 2D.
• Utilizing a three-competitor model for cyclic interactions (rock-paper-scissors analogy).
• Obtaining the flow field from direct numerical simulation of 2D turbulence with hyperviscosity.

Main Results:

• Biodiversity can be maintained in turbulent fluid environments.
• The interplay of advection, diffusion, and biological interactions influences species dynamics.
• Space-averaged dynamics exhibit bifurcations based on the relative strengths of physical transport and biological competition.

Conclusions:

• Turbulent fluid environments can support high biodiversity through cyclic interactions.
• Advection and diffusion play crucial roles in preventing biodiversity loss in ecological models.
• The study highlights the importance of considering physical transport mechanisms in ecological dynamics.