THE DYNAMICS OF A MODEL OF A PLANKTON NUTRIENT INTERACTION

A stability analysis is given for a model of plankton dynamics introduced by Wroblewski et al. (Global Biogeochem. Cycles2, 199-218, 1988). The detailed dependence of the steady-states and their stability on the various model parameters is explicitly presented and analysed. It is shown that under certain conditions the coexistence of phytoplankton and zooplankton occurs in an orbitally stable oscillatory mode. A distinguished parameter is varied and the steady-states computed. The significance of the lack of stable steady-states leading to periodic population levels is investigated and related to certain oceanographic data. © 1990 Society for Mathematical Biology.