The dynamics of the Adriatic Sea ecosystem. An idealized model study

A biomass-based ecological model is presented here for the Adriatic Sea. The hydrodynamical part is composed of the Princeton Ocean Model, while the European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model describes the biogeochemical processes. An idealized Adriatic basin geometry has been used, with perpetual year seasonal cycle forcing the hydrodynamics and river-borne nutrient input forcing externally the biogeochemical processes. The simulation results highlight the role of the physical processes in determining and maintaining some of the nutrient and phytoplankton biomass distribution and characteristics in the basin. The characteristics of the phytoplankton seasonal cycle have been found to depend, in order of priority, on the river-borne nutrient input and physical horizontal and vertical processes.

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