Self-organized pattern synchronization modulated by stochasticity in coupled plankton ecosystems

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that passive diffusive coupling in layered plankton ecosystems causes a transition from independent to synchronized patterns and enhances their stability against environmental noise, explaining persistent spatial structures.

Contribution

It introduces a spatiotemporal model showing how diffusive coupling induces pattern synchronization and robustness in plankton communities under stochastic fluctuations.

Findings

Interlayer diffusion causes a sharp transition to synchronized patterns.

Coupling significantly increases pattern stability against environmental noise.

Zooplankton are more sensitive to noise than phytoplankton.

Abstract

Spatial patterning and synchronization are pervasive features of plankton communities, yet the mechanisms that allow such patterns to persist coherently under environmental noise remain unresolved. In vertically structured aquatic ecosystems, plankton populations are often organized into distinct layers, raising the question of how interactions between layers shape both spatial self-organization and robustness. Here, we develop a spatiotemporal ecosystem model of a two-layer plankton community to examine the role of passive diffusive coupling under stochastic environmental fluctuations. We show that interlayer diffusion induces a sharp transition from independent, layer-specific Turing patterns to fully synchronized spatial patterns once the coupling strength exceeds a critical threshold. Importantly, the same coupling mechanism markedly enhances the stability of spatial patterns against environmental noise, extending their persistence far beyond that of non-coupled layers. Moreover, we uncover a trophic hierarchy in noise sensitivity, with zooplankton exhibiting substantially greater vulnerability than phytoplankton. Together, these results identify passive diffusive coupling as a unifying mechanism that simultaneously promotes spatial synchronization and robustness, providing a mechanistic explanation for the persistence of coherent plankton patterns in fluctuating aquatic environments.