Modelling Kara Sea phytoplankton primary production: Development and skill assessment of regional algorithms

Abstract

Empirical region-specific (RSM), depth-integrated (DIM) and depth-resolved (DRM) primary production models are developed based on data from the Kara Sea during the autumn (September–October 1993, 2007, 2011). The model is validated by using field and satellite (MODIS-Aqua) observations. Our findings suggest that RSM algorithms perform better than non-region-specific algorithms (NRSM) in terms of regression analysis, root-mean-square difference (RMSD) and model efficiency. In general, the RSM and NRSM underestimate or overestimate the in situ water column integrated primary production (IPP) by a factor of 2 and 2.8, respectively. Additionally, our results suggest that the model skill of the RSM increases when the chlorophyll specific carbon fixation rate, efficiency of photosynthesis and photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) are used as input variables. The parameterization of chlorophyll (chl a) vertical profiles is performed in Kara Sea waters with different trophic statuses. Model validation with field data suggests that the DIM and DRM algorithms perform equally (RMSD of 0.29 and 0.31, respectively). No changes in the performance of the DIM and DRM algorithms are observed (RMSD of 0.30 and 0.31, respectively) when satellite-derived chl a, PAR and the diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd) are applied as input variables.