Premium
A comparative study of the ecosystem dynamics of four fiords
Author(s) -
Ross Alex H.,
Gurney William S. C.,
Heath Michael R.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1994.39.2.0318
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , zooplankton , environmental science , fjord , marine ecosystem , state variable , ecosystem , oceanography , ecosystem model , ecology , computer science , geology , biology , nutrient , physics , thermodynamics
In this paper we develop our previously published strategic simulation model of a sea‐loch into a quantitatively testable form. This formulation includes the effects of phytoplankton self‐shading, aggregation by zooplankton to areas of high phytoplankton density, and a representation of temperature‐dependent energy allocation in zooplankton. We confront the model with datasets from four contrasting Scottish and Irish sea‐lochs. After further extension to incorporate variations in the vertical distribution of phytoplankton, driven by vertical mixing and grazing pressure, the model provides a quantitatively acceptable fit to all four datasets. We illustrate the “top‐down” nature of the control operating in these systems by formulating a three‐state variable model, describing only the biotic components of the system. This simplified model produces the same quality of fit to the appropriate data as its progenitor.