Application of a one-dimensional model to explore the drivers and lability of carbon in the northern Gulf of Mexico

James J. Pauer, Phillip A. DePetro, Amy M. Anstead and John C. Lehrter

Ecological Modelling, 2014, vol. 294, issue C, 59-70

Abstract: A one-dimensional water quality model, Gulf of Mexico Dissolved Oxygen Model (GoMDOM-1D), was developed to simulate phytoplankton, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The model was calibrated and corroborated against a comprehensive set of field observations and process measurements. Model results fit measured nutrients and phytoplankton concentrations well, but the model was unable to sustain dissolved organic carbon and water-column respiration at measured levels. The decline in modeled dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and respiration supports the notion that autochthonous production of DOC was insufficient to offset the respiratory demand from bacterial processes for the most of the Louisiana continental shelf. Transport of carbon from high production areas close to the Mississippi and Atchafalaya River plumes likely supplied a part of the respiratory demand of the water column. Modeling results showed that DOC in the study area on the Louisiana shelf was very labile with the highest lability during the month of June, and decreased lability in April. Primary production at the study sites was mainly nitrogen limited, although phosphorus limitation was found in the surface layers for the areas most impacted by the Mississippi River plume. The model also provided insights into the interplay between nutrients and light in regulating phytoplankton production, which is important when predicting the location and extent of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

Keywords: Modeling; Nutrients; Hypoxia; Dissolved organic carbon; Light limitation; Gulf of Mexico (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380014004220
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:294:y:2014:i:c:p:59-70

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.09.007

Access Statistics for this article

Ecological Modelling is currently edited by Brian D. Fath

More articles in Ecological Modelling from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().