Microbial dormancy and boom-and-bust population dynamics under starvation stress

A.C. Fowler and H.F. Winstanley

Theoretical Population Biology, 2018, vol. 120, issue C, 114-120

Abstract: We propose a model for the growth of microbial populations in the presence of a rate-limiting nutrient which accounts for the switching of cells to a dormant phase at low densities in response to decreasing concentration of a putative biochemical signal. We then show that in conditions of nutrient starvation, self-sustained oscillations can occur, thus providing a natural explanation for such phenomena as plankton blooms. However, unlike results of previous studies, the microbial population minima do not become unrealistically small, being buffered during minima by an increased dormant phase population. We also show that this allows microbes to survive in extreme environments for very long periods, consistent with observation. The mechanism provides a natural vehicle for other such sporadic outbreaks, such as viral epidemics.

Keywords: Dormancy; Survival; Bloom; Oscillations; Mathematical model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:thpobi:v:120:y:2018:i:c:p:114-120

DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2018.02.001

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