the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Isotope data improve the predictive capabilities of a marine biogeochemical model
Abstract. Mesocosm experiments combined with biogeochemical modeling provide a powerful research tool to better understand marine ecosystem processes. Using an extended Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton-Detritus (NPZD) model, we investigated the added value of stable isotope tracer additions to constrain biogeochemical transformations within a mesocosm experiment that was designed to study ocean acidification effects on the marine ecosystem. Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo simulations revealed that even when isotope data were available for the majority of the components, not all parameters in the model could be constrained by calibration. However, when isotope tracer data were deliberately excluded from the calibration, the overparameterisation was even stronger. More specifically, it led to unconstrained fluxes through the zooplankton and detritus compartment, and different relative contributions of these two compartments to phytoplankton biomass loss produced equally plausible results. It is concluded that model uncertainty due to overparameterisation can be considerably reduced by explicitly resolving stable isotope dynamics. Therefore, this mesocosm experiment has benefitted substantially from isotope tracer additions to unravel carbon cycling under varying CO2 regimes.
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RC C3153: 'Review of "Isotope data improve the predictive capabilities of a marine biogeochemical model" by Van Engeland et al.', Anonymous Referee #1, 10 Aug 2012
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RC C3807: 'Review Van Engeland et al.: Isotope data improve the predictive capabilities of a marine biogeochemical model', Anonymous Referee #2, 05 Sep 2012
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RC C4125: 'Interactive comment on "Isotope data ..." by T. Van Engeland et al.', Anonymous Referee #3, 20 Sep 2012
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AC C5737: 'Author's Final Comment to all referees on "Isotope data improve the predictive capabilities of a marine biogeochemical model" by Van Engeland et al.', Tom Van Engeland, 19 Nov 2012
![Printer-friendly Version](https://www.biogeosciences.net/print.gif)
![Supplement](https://www.biogeosciences.net/supplement.gif)
-
RC C3153: 'Review of "Isotope data improve the predictive capabilities of a marine biogeochemical model" by Van Engeland et al.', Anonymous Referee #1, 10 Aug 2012
-
RC C3807: 'Review Van Engeland et al.: Isotope data improve the predictive capabilities of a marine biogeochemical model', Anonymous Referee #2, 05 Sep 2012
-
RC C4125: 'Interactive comment on "Isotope data ..." by T. Van Engeland et al.', Anonymous Referee #3, 20 Sep 2012
-
AC C5737: 'Author's Final Comment to all referees on "Isotope data improve the predictive capabilities of a marine biogeochemical model" by Van Engeland et al.', Tom Van Engeland, 19 Nov 2012
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Cited
3 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Stable isotopes dissect aquatic food webs from the top to the bottom J. Middelburg 10.5194/bg-11-2357-2014
- Introduction of a new platform for parameter estimation of kinetically complex environmental systems M. Gharasoo et al. 10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.09.005
- Toward a mechanistic understanding of trophic structure: inferences from simulating stable isotope ratios K. Flynn et al. 10.1007/s00227-018-3405-0