Non-linear analysis indicates chaotic dynamics and reduced resilience in model-based Daphnia populations exposed to environmental stress

In this study we present evidence that anthropogenic stressors can reduce the resilience of age-structured populations. Enhancement of disturbance in a model-based Daphnia population lead to a repression of chaotic population dynamics at the same time increasing the degree of synchrony between the p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	PloS one Vol. 9; no. 5; p. e96270
Main Authors:	Ottermanns, Richard, Szonn, Kerstin, Preuβ, Thomas G, Roβ-Nickoll, Martina
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Public Library of Science 08-05-2014 Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Subjects:	Age Analysis Animals Anthropogenic factors Biology and Life Sciences Chaos theory Climate change Computer and Information Sciences Computer Simulation Crustaceans Daphnia - physiology Daphnia magna Disturbance Dynamic tests Earth Sciences Ecology and Environmental Sciences Ecosystem Ecosystems Environmental stress Extinction Fractals Linear analysis Models, Theoretical Nature Newborn babies Noise Nonlinear analysis Nonlinear Dynamics Physical Sciences Population Population (statistical) Population biology Population Dynamics Resilience Species extinction Statistical analysis Stress, Physiological - physiology Test procedures Time series Aachen Germany Germany
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Summary:	In this study we present evidence that anthropogenic stressors can reduce the resilience of age-structured populations. Enhancement of disturbance in a model-based Daphnia population lead to a repression of chaotic population dynamics at the same time increasing the degree of synchrony between the population's age classes. Based on the theory of chaos-mediated survival an increased risk of extinction was revealed for this population exposed to high concentrations of a chemical stressor. The Lyapunov coefficient was supposed to be a useful indicator to detect disturbance thresholds leading to alterations in population dynamics. One possible explanation could be a discrete change in attractor orientation due to external disturbance. The statistical analysis of Lyapunov coefficient distribution is proposed as a methodology to test for significant non-linear effects of general disturbance on populations. Although many new questions arose, this study forms a theoretical basis for a dynamical definition of population recovery.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 Conceived and designed the experiments: RO KS TGP MR. Performed the experiments: RO KS TGP MR. Analyzed the data: RO KS TGP MR. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: RO KS TGP MR. Wrote the paper: RO KS TGP MR. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
ISSN:	1932-6203 1932-6203
DOI:	10.1371/journal.pone.0096270