A mathematical derivation of size spectra in fish populations.
Taking into account a predator/prey size ratio in a size-structured population model leads to a partial derivative equation of which we study the properties. By expliciting the structure of the attractor of this equation, it is shown that a simple mechanism, size-based opportunistic predation, can explain the stability in the shape of size spectra observed in various marine ecosystems.
Arino
Ovide
O
UR GEODES, IRD-Bondy, 32, av Henri-Varagnat, 93143 Bondy, France. arino@bondy.ird.fr
Shin
Yunne-Jai
YJ
Mullon
Christian
C
D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D011235:Predatory Behavior