Modelling the coupled physical/biogeochemical dynamics of the Adriatic Sea

Abstract

The seminar will provide an overview of the general characteristics of the coupled (circulation and biogeochemical dynamics) models implemented in order to simulate the environmental dynamics of the Adriatic Sea, a regional Mediterranean Sea basin characterized by very much contrasting physical and biogeochemical characteristics, ranging from truly coastal (shallow depth, large river input, meso to eutrophic) in the North, to truly open ocean (dense water formation, oligotrophic) in the South. Modelling activities ranged from implementation of one- to three-dimensional models, carried out in order to understand the role of the physical structure (seasonal stratification/destratification cycle) and dynamics (advection/diffusion) in constraining/governing the structuring of the lower trophic levels (from nutrients and light to bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton) ecosystem. The variability of the ecosystem dynamics has been studied considering climatological, interannually varying and future scenarios (surface and lateral) boundary condition, in order to start investigating the climate related long term variability.

MARCO ZAVATARELLI

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Interdepartmental Environmental Sciences Center Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Italy