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SUMMARY:Plenary Lecture 1: Non-Equilibrium Dynamics in Ecological Communit
 ies - Huisman\, J (Universiteit van Amsterdam)
DTSTART:20141030T093000Z
DTEND:20141030T100500Z
UID:TALK55813@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mustapha Amrani
DESCRIPTION:Co-authors: Elisa Beninca (University of Amsterdam)\, Stephen 
 Ellner (Cornell University) \n\nMany ecological studies have focused on eq
 uilibrium dynamics. Examples in microbial ecology are provided by chemosta
 t studies in which species interactions are investigated until steady stat
 e is reached. In this presentation\, I will take a different perspective b
 y highlighting non-equilibrium dynamics in ecological communities. \n\nFir
 st\, I will show that interaction networks consisting of multiple species 
 can produce permanent changes in community structure\, with chaotic ups an
 d downs in species abundances such that the species composition never reac
 hes an equilibrium state. This is illustrated by several controlled labora
 tory experiments with microbial food webs. \n\nNext\, I will discuss possi
 ble underlying mechanisms that may generate such complex dynamics. For ins
 tance\, predator and prey species can display classical predator-prey osci
 llations. Analysis of experimental data shows that the coupling of several
  predator-prey systems can cause intriguing species fluctuations\, in whic
 h the community shifts back and forth between different predator-prey cycl
 es in a chaotic fashion. \n\nFinally\, I present field data of a cyclic su
 ccession sustained by rock-paper-scissors dynamics over many years. Analys
 is of the population dynamics reveals that the cyclic species replacement 
 moves back and forth between stabilizing and chaotic dynamics. The results
  are supported by a simple community model\, which shows that seasonal var
 iation is likely the environmental driver that pushes this cyclic successi
 on to the edge of chaos. \n\nMicrobial communities typically consist of nu
 merous species\, involved in a multitude of species interactions. Hence\, 
 this non-equilibrium perspective may find application in a wide range of d
 ifferent fields. Examples include studies of natural communities in terres
 trial\, freshwater and marine ecosystems\, but also the microbial gut flor
 a\, microbial disease dynamics\, or the use of microbial communities in wa
 stewater treatment and other biotechnological applications.\n\n
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
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