Process-based simulation library SALMO-OO for lake ecosystems. Part 2: Multi-objective parameter optimization by evolutionary algorithms

Abstract SALMO-OO represents an object-oriented simulation library for lake ecosystems that allows to determine generic model structures for certain lake categories. It is based on complex ordinary differential equations that can be assembled by alternative process equations for algal growth and grazing as well as zooplankton growth and mortality. It requires 128 constant parameters that are causally related to the metabolic, chemical and transport processes in lakes either estimated from laboratory and field experiments or adopted from the literature. An evolutionary algorithm (EA) was integrated into SALMO-OO in order to facilitate multi-objective optimization for selected parameters and to substitute them by optimum temperature and phosphate functions. The parameters were related to photosynthesis, respiration and grazing of the three algal groups diatoms, green algae and blue-green algae. The EA determined specific temperature and phosphate functions for same parameters for 3 lake categories that were validated by ecological data of six lakes from Germany and South Africa. The results of this study have demonstrated that: (1) the hybridization of ordinary differential equations by EA provide a sophisticated approach to fine-tune crucial parameters of complex ecological models, and (2) the multi-objective parameter optimization of SALMO-OO by EA has significantly improved the accuracy of simulation results for three different lake categories.