Carbon-Plankton Dynamics

The Carbon-Plankton Dynamics Virtual Lab provides a modelling environment to simulate interactions between nutrients, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and detritus in marine ecosystems. At its core is a Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton-Detritus (NPZD) model that runs in carbon units, enabling consistent tracking of carbon flows through various ecosystem processes.

Initially implemented and validated in the southern North Sea, the model has since been applied to the northern Adriatic Sea. This allows users to explore phytoplankton dynamics in different marine settings and examine factors influencing biomass variability.

The system uses environmental input data such as sea surface temperature, salinity, nutrient concentrations (including DIN, PO₄, and SiO₄), and carbon-related variables like atmospheric pCO₂, wind speed, and pH. These inputs inform the model’s representation of primary and secondary productivity, organic matter degradation, and carbon exchanges with the atmosphere and rivers.

Learn more about this Virtual Lab in our dedicated Training Academy webinar.