Leaving misleading legacies behind in plankton ecosystem modelling.

Smith, S. Lan, Merico, Agostino, Wirtz, Kai W. and Pahlow, Markus (2014) Leaving misleading legacies behind in plankton ecosystem modelling. Journal of Plankton Research, 36 (3). pp. 613-620. DOI 10.1093/plankt/fbu011.

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Abstract

The value of mechanistic ecosystem modelling has long been appreciated, and in connection with trait-based approaches it has recently stimulated a more process-based understanding of adaptive capacities and trade-offs. Notwithstanding recent advances, even sophisticated state-of-the-art models of plankton ecosystems, some of which include hundreds of idealized species, do not accurately represent the great biodiversity of plankton, or the associated flexible adaptive response of plankton communities. We build on previous reviews to suggest that it may be necessary to discard some common assumptions and try new approaches in order to construct models that can make new and testable predictions about the ``adaptive capacity'' of plankton ecosystems. Major challenges remain unresolved for modelling interacting communities of producers and consumers. Rather than the common approach of mixing and matching existing model components, each laden with its own legacy assumptions, we suggest that a judicious combination of innovative, mechanistic approaches that combine traits and trade-offs will likely better address such challenges.

Document Type: Article
Additional Information: WOS:000336490000002
Keywords: plankton; ecosystem model; adaptive; trait; community
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB2 Marine Biogeochemistry > FB2-BM Biogeochemical Modeling
JAMSTEC
HZG
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: Oxford Univ. Press
Projects: CREST
Date Deposited: 04 Mar 2014 08:08
Last Modified: 25 Jul 2019 10:43
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/23658

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