Mathematical Modeling of Competition and Coexistence of Phytoplankton Species

Microscopic phytoplankton form the basis of the food chain in the earth’s oceans. A system of differential equations relates phytoplankton population and nutrient concentration in an isolated environment. The equations were modeled with MATLAB. I conducted sensitivity analyses to determine the relationships between the system of differential equations, and their respective parameters, on phytoplankton behavior. I explored the dynamics of competition and coexistence between multiple species with multiple nutrients in the system. I was able to predict competitive exclusion, and when multiple species could reach states of coexistence when the equations reach equilibrium.