Multispccies models and chaotic dynamics
An ideal multispecies model captures the interactions of each of n species with each other and with the physical environment. However, the parameterization of n X n interactions defies most data collection programs for even moderately dimensioned systems. Additionally, the magnification of small errors in estimation of parameters and initial states as the system evolves in time limits the deterministic predictive capability of such an approach. Moreover, even though each species may have a complex interaction matrix, the dynamics of that species are often revealed by a dimension lower than n. The reduced dimension (fractal dimension) of the dynamics of a species may be approximated from time series of data. The chaotic behavior implied by the fractal dimensions of the species of importance to the fishery arc described by simple models and interpolation functions. Realizations of the models yield conditional probabilities of relative abundance distributions. An example is given using times series of abundance indices of moderate duration.
Article from Marine Science Symposia Vol. 193 " Multispecies models relevant to management
of living resources". Symposium held in The Hague, 2-4 October 1989. To access the remaining articles please click on the keyword "MSS Volume 193".