Abstract
The dynamics of a phytoplankton population growing in a chemostat under a periodic supply of nutrients is investigated with the model proposed by Droop. This model differs from the well-known Monod equations by incorporating nutrient storage by the cells. In spite of its nonlinearity and the time delays introduced by an internal nutrient pool, the model predicts a simple response to a periodic nutrient supply. The population is shown to oscillate with the same frequency as the forcing. To prove the existence of a periodic solution local and global bifurcation results are used. This work establishes a basis on which to evaluate experimental data against the model as a representation of the nutrient-phytoplankton interaction when nutrients fluctuate.
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Pascual, M. Periodic response to periodic forcing of the Droop equations for phytoplankton growth. J. Math. Biol. 32, 743–759 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168795
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168795