Skip Navigation

ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 2005 62(5):833-840; doi:10.1016/j.icesjms.2005.03.001
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hammer, A. C.
Right arrow Articles by Pitchford, J. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Hammer, A. C.
Right arrow Articles by Pitchford, J. W.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2005 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

The role of mixotrophy in plankton bloom dynamics, and the consequences for productivity

Astrid C. Hammer* and Jonathan W. Pitchford

Department of Biology/Area 2, University of York PO Box 373, York YO10 5YW, England, UK

*Correspondence to A. C. Hammer: tel: +44 1904 328557; fax: +44 1904 328505. e-mail: ah44{at}york.ac.uk.

Mixotrophy (=heterotrophy and photosynthesis by a single individual) is a common phenomenon in aquatic ecosystems, in particular under light- or nutrient-limitation. However, it is not usually considered in mathematical models of biological populations. This paper shows how different types of mixotrophy might be usefully incorporated into a general predator–prey model, and explores the consequences for plankton bloom dynamics and productivity. It is demonstrated, analytically and numerically, that even small levels of type III mixotrophy (a small fraction of the zooplankton also being involved in primary production) have significant effects on a system's equilibrium structure, stability, and short-term dynamics. Type III mixotrophy has a stabilizing effect on the system by reducing its excitability, i.e. its propensity to exhibit blooms. Compared with the non-mixotrophic benchmark, for a phytoplankton bloom to be triggered in a system with type III mixotrophy, a much larger perturbation is necessary. Type II mixotrophy (a small fraction of algae engage in phagotrophy) and type I mixotrophy (equal phagotrophy and phototrophy) are briefly discussed. The potential consequences for productivity are also studied. Our results indicate that the phytoplankton–zooplankton system becomes more productive in the presence of type III mixotrophy.

Keywords: excitable phytoplankton–zooplankton system, mixotrophy, plankton bloom

Received 23 November 2004; accepted 28 February 2005.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J PLANKTON RESHome page
K. J. Flynn and A. Mitra
Building the "perfect beast": modelling mixotrophic plankton
J. Plankton Res., September 1, 2009; 31(9): 965 - 992.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.