Spatiotemporal Patterns Formed by a Discrete Nutrient-Phytoplankton Model with Time Delay

Abstract

In this research, a continuous nutrient-phytoplankton model with time delay and Michaelis–Menten functional response is discretized to a spatiotemporal discrete model. Around the homogeneous steady state of the discrete model, Neimark–Sacker bifurcation and Turing bifurcation analysis are investigated. Based on the bifurcation analysis, numerical simulations are carried out on the formation of spatiotemporal patterns. Simulation results show that the diffusion of phytoplankton and nutrients can induce the formation of Turing-like patterns, while time delay can also induce the formation of cloud-like pattern by Neimark–Sacker bifurcation. Compared with the results generated by the continuous model, more types of patterns are obtained and are compared with real observed patterns.