Non-random spatial coupling induces desynchronization, chaos and multistability in a predator–prey–resource system

The metacommunity perspective has attracted much attention recently, but the understanding of how dispersal between local communities alters their ecological dynamics is still limited, especially regarding the effect of non-random, unequal dispersal of organisms. This is a study of a three-trophic-level (predator–prey–resource) system that is connected by different manners of dispersal. The model is based on a well-studied experimental system cultured in chemostats (continuous flow-through culture), which consists of rotifer predator, algal prey and nutrient. In the model, nutrient dispersal can give rise to multistability when the two systems are connected by nutrient dispersal, whereas three-trophic-level systems tend to show a rich dynamical behavior, e.g. antisynchronous or asynchronous oscillations including chaos. Although the existence of multistability was already known in two-trophic-level (predator–prey) systems, it was confined to a small range of dispersal rate. In contrast, the multistability in the three-trophic-level system is found in a broader range of dispersal rate. The results suggest that, in three-trophic-level systems, the dispersal of nutrient not only alters population dynamics of local systems but can also cause regime shifts such as a transition to different oscillation phases.

► We studied a coupled predator–prey system where two food chains are connected by non-random dispersal.
► The coupled system shows spatially desynchronized oscillations and chaos when the two systems are connected by dispersal of nutrient.
► We analyzed how the population dynamics of the coupled system depends on the dilution rate and the strength of dispersal.
► The result suggests that non-random dispersal not only alters population dynamics of local systems but also produces multiple stable states that potentially lead to drastic regime shifts.