A mathematical derivation of size spectra in fish populations

Abstract Taking into account a predator/prey size ratio in a size-structured population model leads to a partial derivative equation of which we study the properties. By expliciting the structure of the attractor of this equation, it is shown that a simple mechanism, size-based opportunistic predation, can explain the stability in the shape of size spectra observed in various marine ecosystems. To cite this article: O. Arino et al., C. R. Biologies 327 (2004).