Modelling Primary Production in Water Bodies: A Numerical Approach that Allows Vertical Inhomogeneities

Abstract

A new model for computing integral daily phytoplankton primary production is described. The model incorporates vertical variations of algal biomass, complex photosynthesis vs. light responses, nonexponential extinction of light vs. depth, and any distribution of surface light over a day. The basic approach is to combine measured relations for photosynthetic rate vs. light, light vs. depth, and light vs. time in an interpolative scheme rather than attempting to fit equations to the data and using the resulting equations to obtain a mathematical solution. The model is general and should have wide applicability. Model predictions agreed well with in situ measurements of production.