Patterns of Zooplankton Functional Response in Communities with Vertical Heterogeneity: a Model Study
Parameterization of zooplankton functional response is crucial for constructing plankton models. Theoretical studies predict enhancing of system stability in case the response is of sigmoid type. Experiments on feeding in laboratories tell us in favor of non-sigmoid types for most herbivorous zooplankton species. However, recent field observations show that the overall functional response of zooplankton in the whole euphotic zone can exhibit a sigmoid behavior even when the response for the same...