Modelling Cystoseira S.L.-Turf Competition Via a Space-Implicit Model with Border Dynamics

40 Pages Posted: 18 Dec 2024

See all articles by Massimo Materassi

Massimo Materassi

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Daniela Collini

University of Florence

Luigi Barletti

University of Florence

Fabio Bulleri

Università degli Studi di Pisa

Silvana Dalmazzone

University of Turin - Department of Economics

Vito Frontuto

University of Turin

Laura Tamburello

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

Abstract

This paper presents a model of competition between the arborescent canopy-forming algae \emph{Cystoseira s.l.}, and the smaller size algae forming \emph{turf} on rocky bottoms. The two algal assemblages are both grazed by sea urchins. The model is \emph{a 3-species space implicit food web}. Its distinctive feature is the inclusion of \emph{community border effects} in interactions, as only the individuals laying along the canopy border of \emph{Cystoseira s.l.} forests take part in recruitment and competition with algal turfs, and undergo grazing by sea urchins. Also the endogenous recruitment of turf yields a rate depending on the number of border individuals. These \emph{border effects} are taken into account in the same way \emph{herd behavior} is treated in the mathematical ecology of animal species. Some important features of the phase space of the system are investigated, focusing on the capacity of this model to mimic the transitions among ecologically different states of the rocky bottom (co-existence of canopy and turf, survival of the turf only, pure barren). The algae and invertebrates involved in the model play an important role in the health of coastal ecosystems and particularly in the conservation of biodiversity-rich habitats of temperate nearshore rocky reefs: hence, the model presented could be of help in describing real ecological processes of canopy degradation and recovery, and possibly managing such ecosystems.

Keywords: Trophic webs, Pack behaviour, Cystoseira, Inter-algal competition, Environmental bio-indicators

Suggested Citation

Materassi, Massimo and Collini, Daniela and Barletti, Luigi and Bulleri, Fabio and Dalmazzone, Silvana and Frontuto, Vito and Tamburello, Laura, Modelling Cystoseira S.L.-Turf Competition Via a Space-Implicit Model with Border Dynamics. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5051335 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5051335

Massimo Materassi (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Daniela Collini

University of Florence ( email )

France

Luigi Barletti

University of Florence ( email )

France

Fabio Bulleri

Università degli Studi di Pisa ( email )

Pisa
Italy

Silvana Dalmazzone

University of Turin - Department of Economics ( email )

Via Po, 53
Torino, 10124
Italy

Vito Frontuto

University of Turin ( email )

Via Po 53
Torino, 10100
Italy

Laura Tamburello

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn ( email )

Naples
Italy

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