Open Journal of Ecology

Volume 4, Issue 11 (August 2014)

ISSN Print: 2162-1985   ISSN Online: 2162-1993

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Lattice and Lattice Gas Models for Commensalism: Two Shellfishes in Intertidal Zone

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DOI: 10.4236/oje.2014.411057    2,441 Downloads   3,261 Views  Citations

ABSTRACT

The study of mutual interactions in an intertidal zone is important. We are interested in two sessile shellfishes, mussel (Septifer virgatus: species X) and goose barnacle (Capitulum mitella: species Y). Both species X and Y have similar body sizes, and live in an intertidal zone. Their relation is known to be a kind of commensalism: the survival rate of X increases near the location of Y. In contrast, Y receives no gain from X. In the present paper, we present lattice and lattice gas models for commensalism. The latter is mean-field theory of the former. It is found that the relation of commensalism is not stable. Under certain conditions, the competition prevails between both species; if the density of Y is high, the species X receives a damage originated in the limiting space. Moreover, we find that the basic equation derived by lattice gas model well explains the population dynamics for lattice model.

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Yokoi, H. , Uehara, T. , Kawai, T. , Tateoka, Y. and Tainaka, K. (2014) Lattice and Lattice Gas Models for Commensalism: Two Shellfishes in Intertidal Zone. Open Journal of Ecology, 4, 671-677. doi: 10.4236/oje.2014.411057.

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