Bifurcation Model Of Successions In Ecosystems

Abstract

Models of the long-term ecological successions are considered. Succession process is considered as step-bystep changing of dominant association. The model of open Eigen's hypercycle has been used for modeling of the process. Qualitative analysis for three-dimension case has been carried out, and local bifurcations have been investigated. The process of succession can be interpreted as system's choosing a proper level of complexity (or dimension) depending on the capacity of environment (the size of ecological niche). Connections between changing a state of the system and bifurcations in phase space is shown.