Time scale separation in ecosystem dynamics; Final report of van Gogh project VGP 62-550

Kooi, B. W. 2002. Time scale separation in ecosystem dynamics; Final report of van Gogh project VGP 62-550. Technical Report Dept Theor. Biol. VU.

Abstract

In this project we combined expertises of the groups Biometry of Lyon-1 University (Auger), Oceanographic Center of Marseille (Poggiale) and Dept. Theoretical Biology of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Kooijman & Kooi) in the study of the dynamics of populations as part of a food web community within the framework of the Dynamics Energy Budget (DEB) theory. The emphasis is on the application of two mathematical techniques (aggregation methods and bifurcation analysis) to relate different levels of organisation in ecosystem dynamics.

We conclude that the composition of the research team makes it possible to cover the whole spectrum from natural history knowledge, mathematical formulation of biotic systems in a biotic and abiotic environment, techniques to analyse the resulting mathematical model while the results can be interpreted in biological terms. The results are reported in 5 publications, which illustrate the strength of the mathematical techniques to link levels of organization.

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