Werner Johannes, Arndt Hartmut
Department of General Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, Cologne 50674, Germany.
ISME J. 2025 Jan 2;19(1). doi: 10.1093/ismejo/wraf050.
Understanding spatio-temporal dynamics is essential for predicting how populations fluctuate over time and space. Theoretical models have highlighted the ecological complexity of spatio-temporal dynamics, which can lead to the emergence of complex patterns, including nonlinear dynamics and chaotic behavior, important mechanisms for maintaining of biodiversity. However, these dynamics are difficult to observe experimentally due to a lack of temporal and spatial resolution. Here, we show that even a single-species system exhibits complex spatio-temporal patterns without external forcing where order and chaos coexist (edge of chaos). Automated analyses of experimental dynamics of cells of a ciliate on a microfluidic chip environment with 50 interconnected patches documented pattern formation, including chaos-like dynamics, using several analytical methods. Different initial conditions caused changes in patterns, revealing the complexity and principal unpredictability of self-organized pattern formation. A model containing the stochastic fluctuations of the experiment verified the deterministic nature of patterns. The results show the intrinsic complexity of ecological systems, challenging predictions in nature conservation. Our results bridge the gap between theoretical models and experimental observations, offering new insights into the fundamental nature of living systems and their spatio-temporal organization.
理解时空动态对于预测种群如何随时间和空间波动至关重要。理论模型突出了时空动态的生态复杂性，这可能导致复杂模式的出现，包括非线性动态和混沌行为，这些都是维持生物多样性的重要机制。然而，由于缺乏时间和空间分辨率，这些动态很难通过实验观察到。在这里，我们表明，即使是单一物种系统在没有外部强迫的情况下也会表现出复杂的时空模式，其中秩序和混沌共存（混沌边缘）。使用几种分析方法，对具有50个相互连接斑块的微流控芯片环境中纤毛虫细胞的实验动态进行自动分析，记录了模式形成，包括类混沌动态。不同的初始条件导致模式变化，揭示了自组织模式形成的复杂性和主要不可预测性。一个包含实验随机波动的模型验证了模式的确定性本质。结果显示了生态系统的内在复杂性，对自然保护中的预测提出了挑战。我们的结果弥合了理论模型与实验观察之间的差距，为生命系统的基本性质及其时空组织提供了新的见解。
