Emergent features due to grid-cell biology: synchronisation in biophysical models

E. J. Guirey; M. A. Bees; A. P. Martin; M. A. Srokosz; M. J. R. Fasham

doi:10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y

Emergent features due to grid-cell biology: synchronisation in biophysical models

E. J. Guirey, M. A. Bees, A. P. Martin, M. A. Srokosz, M. J. R. Fasham

Mathematics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1401-1422
Number of pages	22
Journal	Bulletin of Mathematical Biology
Volume	69
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y
Publication status	Published - May 2007

Access to Document

10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y

http://www.springerlink.com/content/42327j54j7776874/?MUD=MP

Cite this

@article{16671f0269244bec93d2f49304d6b8f0,

title = "Emergent features due to grid-cell biology: synchronisation in biophysical models",

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.",

author = "Guirey, {E. J.} and Bees, {M. A.} and Martin, {A. P.} and Srokosz, {M. A.} and Fasham, {M. J. R.}",

year = "2007",

month = may,

doi = "10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y",

language = "English",

volume = "69",

pages = "1401--1422",

journal = "Bulletin of Mathematical Biology",

issn = "0092-8240",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Emergent features due to grid-cell biology

T2 - synchronisation in biophysical models

AU - Guirey, E. J.

AU - Bees, M. A.

AU - Martin, A. P.

AU - Srokosz, M. A.

AU - Fasham, M. J. R.

PY - 2007/5

Y1 - 2007/5

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y

DO - 10.1007/s11538-006-9180-y

M3 - Article

SN - 0092-8240

VL - 69

SP - 1401

EP - 1422

JO - Bulletin of Mathematical Biology

JF - Bulletin of Mathematical Biology

IS - 4

ER -