Overview of Mathematical Approaches Used to Model Bacterial Chemotaxis II: Bacterial Populations

Abstract We review the application of mathematical modeling to understanding the be-havior of populations of chemotactic bacteria. The application of continuum mathematical models, in particular generalized Keller–Segel models, is discussed along with attempts to incorporate the microscale (individual) behavior on the macroscale, modeling the in-teraction between different species of bacteria, the interaction of bacteria with their envi-ronment, and methods used to obtain experimentally verified parameter values. We allude briefly to the role of modeling pattern formation in understanding collective behavior within bacterial populations. Various aspects of each model are discussed and areas for possible future research are postulated