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Stoichiometry and environmental change drive dynamical complexity and unpredictable switches in an intraguild
Juping Ji1, Russell Milne1, Hao Wang2
1Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada.
Journal of Mathematical Biology
|January 13, 2023
Summary
Incorporating stoichiometry into intraguild predation models reveals complex dynamics, including chaos and novel bistability. Stoichiometry influences species coexistence and can aid endangered species recovery, highlighting its ecological importance.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Mathematical Biology
- Theoretical Ecology
Background:
- Intraguild predation (IGP) describes competition where predators consume one another.
- Ecological models often simplify nutrient and element balance dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To integrate stoichiometry (elemental balance) into an intraguild predation (IGP) model.
- To investigate the impact of stoichiometry on ecological dynamics, including chaos and bistability.
Main Methods:
- Developed a theoretical and numerical model incorporating stoichiometric constraints into IGP.
- Analyzed system dynamics, identifying bifurcation types (saddle-node, Hopf, transcritical) and bistability patterns (node-node, node-cycle, cycle-cycle).
Main Results:
- The model exhibits complex dynamics, including chaos, multiple bifurcations, and novel cycle-cycle bistability.
- Stoichiometry can stabilize or destabilize the system, affecting the presence or absence of chaos.
- Species coexistence depends on moderate light and nutrient levels; extreme conditions reduce coexistence, impacting biodiversity.
Conclusions:
- Stoichiometry plays a crucial role in shaping the dynamics and stability of intraguild predation systems.
- Stoichiometry can facilitate the recovery of endangered species under increasing light intensity.
- Environmental variability and initial conditions strongly influence system trajectories and species persistence.
Keywords:
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