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Eutrophication of inland waters is expected to increase the frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Toxin-production associated with HABs has negative effects on human health and aquatic ecosystem functioning. Despite evidence that flagellates can ingest toxin-producing cyanobacteria, interactions between members of the microbial loop are underestimated in our understanding of the food web and algal bloom dynamics. Physical and allelopathic interactions between a mixotrophic flagellate (Cryptomonas sp.) and two strains of a cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa) were investigated in a full-factorial experiment in culture. The maximum population growth rate of the mixotroph (0.25 day−1) occurred during incubation with filtrate from toxic M. aeruginosa. Cryptomonas was able to ingest toxic and non-toxic M. aeruginosa at maximal rates of 0.5 and 0.3 cells day−1, respectively. The results establish that although Cryptomonas does not derive benefits from co-incubation with M. aeruginosa, it may obtain nutritional supplement from filtrate. We also provide evidence of a reduction in cyanotoxin concentration (microcystin-LR) when toxic M. aeruginosa is incubated with the mixotroph. Our work has implications for “trophic upgrading” within the microbial food web, where cyanobacterivory by nanoflagellates may improve food quality for higher trophic levels and detoxify secondary compounds.
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Bifurcation Analysis of a New Aquatic Ecological Model with Aggregation Effect and Harvesting
In this paper, we investigated the dynamics of the interaction between Microcystis aeruginosa and filter-feeding fish in a new aquatic ecological model and considered the effects of aggregation and harvesting and focused on studying the critical threshold conditions through the analysis of saddle-node bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation, and Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation. We also conducted numerical simulations to illustrate our findings and provided biological interpretations. The results obtained indicate that the aggregation effect or harvesting can disrupt the coexistence of Microcystis aeruginosa and filter-feeding fish. The filter-feeding fish population may go extinct while the Microcystis aeruginosa population could survive. We identified the importance of finding an appropriate timing for harvesting Microcystis aeruginosa in order to promote the growth of the filter-feeding fish population. This optimal timing may be influenced by the carrying capacity of Microcystis aeruginosa. Taken together, our study sheds light on the dynamics of Microcystis aeruginosa and filter-feeding fish in an aquatic ecosystem, highlighting the critical role of aggregation, harvesting, and timing in determining the coexistence and survival of these species.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1950254
- PAR ID:
- 10561685
- Publisher / Repository:
- World Scientific Publishing Company
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos
- Volume:
- 33
- Issue:
- 15
- ISSN:
- 0218-1274
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218127423501808
