Microbial competition: Study of global branching phenomena

Complex dynamics of microbial competition in the gradostat

We examine the conditions necessary for the emergence of complex dynamic behavior in systems of microbial competition. In particular, we study the effect of spatial heterogeneity and substrate-inhibition on the dynamics of such a system. This is accomplished through the study of a mathematical model of two microbial populations competing for a single nutrient in a configuration of two interconnected chemostats. Microbial growth is assumed to follow substrate-inhibited kinetics for both species. Such a system with sterile feed has been shown in a previous work to exhibit stable periodic states. In the present work we study the system for the case of non-sterile feed, i.e., when the two species are present in the feed of the chemostats. The analysis is done by numerical bifurcation theory methods. We demonstrate that, in addition to periodic states, the system possesses stable quasi-periodic states resulting from Neimark-Sacker bifurcations of limit cycles. Also, periodic states may undergo successive period doublings leading to periodic states of increasing period and indicating that chaotic states might be possible. Multistability is also observed, consisting in the coexistence of several stable steady states and possibly stable periodic or quasi-periodic states for given operating conditions. It appears that substrate-inhibition, spatial heterogeneity and presence of microorganisms in the inflow are all necessary conditions for complex dynamics to arise in a microbial system of pure and simple competition.

Classification of stability behavior of bioreactors with wall attachment and substrate-inhibited kinetics

The biodegradation of pollutants in continuous operation when the microbial population exhibits wall attachment is studied. The proposed model for wall attachment assumes two morphological forms of the microbial cell connected by metamorphosis reactions with first order exchange kinetics. An analysis of the stability of the bioreactor, carried out using elementary principles of the singularity theory and continuation techniques, allows for classification in the multidimensional parameter space of the various stability behaviors exhibited by the reactor model, for both substrate-inhibited and Monod kinetics. The analysis also shows the enhanced stability behavior of the bioreactor due to wall attachment.