NONEQUILIBRIUM STRUCTURES IN PLANKTON DYNAMICS

The emergence of spatial and spatio-temporal patterns in a minimal non linear interaction-diffusion-advection model of phytoplankton-zooplank ton dynamics is considered. Conditions for the formation of spatial pa tterns after the diffusive instability of a uniform species distributi on are derived and numerical results of diffusive as well as shear-dif fusive patterning are presented on a two-dimensional spatial cross-sec tion. The variability of phytoplankton growth due to its light sensiti vity is considered in a linear approximation.