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Modeling of coupled dynamics of phytoplankton and oxygen
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The paper considers a conceptual model of coupled dynamics of dissolved oxygen concentration and phytoplankton density in the approximation of a well-mixed ocean layer, without accounting for spatial coordinates. The evolution of these two variables is described by a system of difference equations with a daily time step. Oxygen production is proportional to phytoplankton density and depends on the specific photosynthetic rate, while the influence of external factors, such as water temperature, is accounted for parametrically. Oxygen transfer across the cell membrane is described by Fick’s law, i. e., a monotonically decreasing dependence of the oxygen release rate on its external concentration with saturation. Oxygen elimination from the system consists of two components: a constant rate of natural biochemical decay and oxygen consumption by marine flora and fauna, which is described by a Monod-type response reflecting the limited specific consumption rate. Phytoplankton growth is represented by a logistic equation with a maximum specific growth rate achievable under sufficient oxygen supply, a half-saturation constant for oxygen, and an intraspecific competition coefficient. Phytoplankton mortality, including natural mortality, grazing by zooplankton, and viral infection, is assumed to be linear in density with a constant mortality rate. Thus, despite its conceptual nature, the employed parameterization allows the main biological processes of production, respiration, mortality, and intraspecific competition to be incorporated in a simplified but meaningful form.
The objective of this study is to investigate the dynamics of the oxygen–phytoplankton system under various conditions of marine ecosystem functioning and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the formation of hypoxic zones in the ocean.
It is shown that the trivial equilibrium never loses stability; as a result, two different scenarios of system functioning are possible: either complete extinction of the system, or the emergence of a non-trivial attracting equilibrium, which, with an increase in the parameter characterizing the influence of environmental factors on the rate of oxygen production inside phytoplankton cells, evolves according to the Feigenbaum scenario. A parametric region of saddle-node bifurcation is identified, leading to the appearance of stable and unstable non-trivial solutions. When a threshold value is exceeded, bistability arises, where the choice of scenario is determined by initial conditions. In the vicinity of the bifurcation, a long period of quasi-stable development is observed, ending with a sharp collapse of the system components. Since the trivial solution is always stable, even a small variation in the current state can shift the system into an extinction regime. The obtained results make it possible to identify the boundaries of scenario shifts in system development and can serve as a basis for forecasting critical states of marine ecosystems.
Copyright © 2026 Gromyko A.A., Neverova G.P., Zhdanova O.L.
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The journal is included in the Russian Science Citation Index
The journal is included in the RSCI
International Interdisciplinary Conference "Mathematics. Computing. Education"