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Surfing on Turbulence: A Strategy for Planktonic Navigation
Rémi Monthiller1, Aurore Loisy1, Mimi A R Koehl2
1Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, IRPHE, Marseille 13384, France.
Physical Review Letters
|August 26, 2022
Summary
Marine plankton can use flow sensors to navigate turbulent waters. A new model shows they can "surf" on turbulence, achieving net vertical speeds twice their own swimming speed for faster upward travel.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Fluid Dynamics
- Biophysics
Background:
- Marine plankton possess flow sensors to perceive their environment.
- Turbulence presents challenges and opportunities for plankton movement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if marine plankton can utilize flow information to enhance vertical travel speed in turbulent conditions.
- To explore the potential for plankton to exploit turbulence for navigation.
Main Methods:
- Development of a physics-based model for plankton swimming behavior.
- Numerical simulations to analyze plankton movement in simulated turbulence.
- Investigation of a robust analytical behavior for direction selection based on local flow gradients.
Main Results:
- Plankton employing the proposed behavior can effectively 'surf' on turbulence.
- Net vertical speeds up to twice the organism's swimming speed were achieved.
- The model demonstrates a strategy for enhanced vertical migration in turbulent flows.
Conclusions:
- Planktonic organisms can exploit turbulence features for improved navigation and faster vertical transit.
- Flow sensing is a crucial mechanism for plankton to actively utilize turbulent environments.
- This study provides a novel perspective on plankton-hydrodynamics interactions and ecological strategies.
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