Competition between Populations in the Consumer–Producer Trophic Chain in a Closed Aquatic System

The functioning of a closed aquatic consumer–producer system with spatially separated links, with each link consisting of two species, is considered. Competition between the consumers (infusorians Paramecium caudatum and rotifers Brachionus sp.) feeding on a mixed algal culture (Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp.) and competition between these algae under conditions of limited nitrogen supply are analyzed. It is shown that Scenedesmus algae have an advantage over C. vulgaris in terms of competitiveness, and their metabolic products have an adverse effect on reproduction in infusorians.