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In the last decades, universal scenarios of the transition to chaos in dynamic systems have been well studied. The scenario of the transition to chaos is defined as a sequence of bifurcations that occur in the system under the variation one of the governing parameters and lead to a qualitative change in dynamics, starting from the regular mode and ending with chaotic behavior. Typical scenarios include a cascade of period doubling bifurcations (Feigenbaum scenario), the breakup of a low-dimensional torus (Ruelle–Takens scenario), and the transition to chaos through the intermittency (Pomeau–Manneville scenario). In more complicated spatially distributed dynamic systems, the complexity of dynamic behavior growing with a parameter change is closely intertwined with the formation of spatial structures. However, the question of whether the spatial and temporal axes could completely exchange roles in some scenario still remains open. In this paper, for the first time, we propose a mathematical model of convection–diffusion–reaction, in which a spatial transition to chaos through the breakup of the quasi–periodic regime is realized in the framework of the Ruelle–Takens scenario. The physical system under consideration consists of two aqueous solutions of acid (A) and base (B), initially separated in space and placed in a vertically oriented Hele–Shaw cell subject to the gravity field. When the solutions are brought into contact, the frontal neutralization reaction of the second order A + B $\to$ C begins, which is accompanied by the production of salt (C). The process is characterized by a strong dependence of the diffusion coefficients of the reagents on their concentration, which leads to the appearance of two local zones of reduced density, in which chemoconvective fluid motions develop independently. Although the layers, in which convection develops, all the time remain separated by the interlayer of motionless fluid, they can influence each other via a diffusion of reagents through this interlayer. The emerging chemoconvective structure is the modulated standing wave that gradually breaks down over time, repeating the sequence of the bifurcation chain of the Ruelle–Takens scenario. We show that during the evolution of the system one of the spatial axes, directed along the reaction front, plays the role of time, and time itself starts to play the role of a control parameter.

We propose a three-component discrete-time model of the phytoplankton-zooplankton community, in which toxic and non-toxic species of phytoplankton compete for resources. The use of the Holling functional response of type II allows us to describe an interaction between zooplankton and phytoplankton. With the Ricker competition model, we describe the restriction of phytoplankton biomass growth by the availability of external resources (mineral nutrition, oxygen, light, etc.). Many phytoplankton species, including diatom algae, are known not to release toxins if they are not damaged. Zooplankton pressure on phytoplankton decreases in the presence of toxic substances. For example, Copepods are selective in their food choices and avoid consuming toxin-producing phytoplankton. Therefore, in our model, zooplankton (predator) consumes only non-toxic phytoplankton species being prey, and toxic species phytoplankton only competes with non-toxic for resources.

We study analytically and numerically the proposed model. Dynamic mode maps allow us to investigate stability domains of fixed points, bifurcations, and the evolution of the community. Stability loss of fixed points is shown to occur only through a cascade of period-doubling bifurcations. The Neimark – Sacker scenario leading to the appearance of quasiperiodic oscillations is found to realize as well. Changes in intrapopulation parameters of phytoplankton or zooplankton can lead to abrupt transitions from regular to quasi-periodic dynamics (according to the Neimark – Sacker scenario) and further to cycles with a short period or even stationary dynamics. In the multistability areas, an initial condition variation with the unchanged values of all model parameters can shift the current dynamic mode or/and community composition.

The proposed discrete-time model of community is quite simple and reveals dynamics of interacting species that coincide with features of experimental dynamics. In particular, the system shows behavior like in prey-predator models without evolution: the predator fluctuations lag behind those of prey by about a quarter of the period. Considering the phytoplankton genetic heterogeneity, in the simplest case of two genetically different forms: toxic and non-toxic ones, allows the model to demonstrate both long-period antiphase oscillations of predator and prey and cryptic cycles. During the cryptic cycle, the prey density remains almost constant with fluctuating predators, which corresponds to the influence of rapid evolution masking the trophic interaction.

In the article, a quasi-periodic two-component dynamical model with possibility of defining the cardio-cycle morphology, that provides the model with an ability of generating a temporal and a spectral cardiosignal characteristics, including heart rate variability is described. A technique for determining the cardio-cycle morphology to provide realistic cardio-signal form is defined. A method for defining cardio-signal dynamical system by the way of determining a three-dimensional state space and equations which describe a trajectory of point’s motion in this space is presented. A technique for solving equations of motion in the three-dimensional state space of dynamical cardio-signal system using the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method is presented. Based on this model, algorithm and software package are developed. Using software package, a cardio-signal synthesis experiment is conducted and the relationship of cardio-signal diagnostic features is analyzed.

We propose a four-component model of a plankton community with discrete time. The model considers the competitive relationships of phytoplankton groups exhibited between each other and the trophic characteristics zooplankton displays: it considers the division of zooplankton into predatory and non-predatory components. The model explicitly represents the consumption of non-predatory zooplankton by predatory. Non-predatory zooplankton feeds on phytoplankton, which includes two competing components: toxic and non-toxic types, with the latter being suitable for zooplankton food. A model of two coupled Ricker equations, focused on describing the dynamics of a competitive community, describes the interaction of two phytoplanktons and allows implicitly taking into account the limitation of each of the competing components of biomass growth by the availability of external resources. The model describes the prey consumption by their predators using a Holling type II trophic function, considering predator saturation.

The analysis of scenarios for the transition from stationary dynamics to fluctuations in the population size of community members showed that the community loses the stability of the non-trivial equilibrium corresponding to the coexistence of the complete community both through a cascade of period-doubling bifurcations and through a Neimark – Sacker bifurcation leading to the emergence of quasi-periodic oscillations. Although quite simple, the model proposed in this work demonstrates dynamics of comunity similar to that natural systems and experiments observe: with a lag of predator oscillations relative to the prey by about a quarter of the period, long-period antiphase cycles of predator and prey, as well as hidden cycles in which the prey density remains almost constant, and the predator density fluctuates, demonstrating the influence fast evolution exhibits that masks the trophic interaction. At the same time, the variation of intra-population parameters of phytoplankton or zooplankton can lead to pronounced changes the community experiences in the dynamic mode: sharp transitions from regular to quasi-periodic dynamics and further to exact cycles with a small period or even stationary dynamics. Quasi-periodic dynamics can arise at sufficiently small phytoplankton growth rates corresponding to stable or regular community dynamics. The change of the dynamic mode in this area (the transition from stable dynamics to quasi-periodic and vice versa) can occur due to the variation of initial conditions or external influence that changes the current abundances of components and shifts the system to the basin of attraction of another dynamic mode.