Competition in a Chemostat: The Effect of Delayed Response in Growth

Gail Wolkowicz, McMaster University

Abstract

The chemostat, a laboratory apparatus used for the continuous culture of microorganisms will be described. After first considering the basic mathematical model for n species of microorganisms competing exploitatively for a nutrient that is limiting at both low and high concentrations, under the simplifying assumption that growth based on consumption occurs instantaneously, we explore the effect of delayed response to growth.