Phytoplankton Competition
Read the following article online (opens in a new window):
Changing currents color the Bering Sea a new shade of blue. John Weir (1999) http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Coccoliths/.
It's clear from this article that different environmental conditions can favor one species of phytoplankton over another, with potentially major repercussions.
How could you modify the phytoplankton input parameters so that one species is favored (and thus more abundant) when nutrient levels are high, and the other species is favored when nutrient levels are low? (Type your response in the box below.)
Answer
To favor one species when nutrient levels are low, increase its K for nitrogen.
To favor the other species when nutrient levels are high, increase its growth rate (Growth0).