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The Role of Mixotrophy in Southern Ocean Ecosystems

The Sensitivity of Model Dynamics to the Magnitude and Form of Mixotroph Interactions Between Plankton

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Abstract

We investigate the influence of mixotrophy on the dynamical properties of a six-population model of a three–trophic level Southern Ocean ecosystem. We find that including mixotrophic interactions between the lowest trophic level populations can significantly influence the dynamics of the highest trophic level populations, and in extreme cases lead to extinctions. Significantly, not only is the strength of the mixotrophic interaction important, it matters how it is included in the model, as a specialist or generalist grazer. We note in particular that the generalist formulation is inappropriate for “green” mixotrophs that fuel the majority of their growth by photosynthesis. The model can have complicated dynamics when subject to large amplitude, regular forcing, suggesting the sea ice—salps link may be obfuscated by endogenous population oscillations. Further, we observe that constructing the model within the Conservative Normal framework allows insights into the bifurcation behaviour of the model.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the editors and two anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful and constructive contributions. JN, IMM, and RC wish to thank Dr Keith Gillow for the cheerful and consummately competent provision of computing support at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford over a number of years. RC wishes to also thank the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford; Lincoln College, Oxford; and St Hilda’s College, Oxford for support in January 2018.

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  1. Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, ROQ, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK

    John Norbury & Irene M. Moroz

  2. Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, 4216, Queensland, Australia

    Roger Cropp

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Norbury, J., Moroz, I.M. & Cropp, R. The Role of Mixotrophy in Southern Ocean Ecosystems. Environ Model Assess 24, 421–435 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-019-09670-0

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