Agent-Based Model of Diatom Population Dynamics in Marginal Arctic Seas in Summer

Abstract—The article proposes a hypothesis for the functioning of a diatom population under conditions of clearly defined water column stratification. It is assumed that cells in the upper illuminated water layer accumulate biomass based on photosynthesis. In the lower layer, which is rich in minerals, cells replenish their intracellular reserves. Movement from one layer to another allows cells to compensate for lack of resources. Sinking occurs as a result of sedimentation and lifting results from the release of carbon dioxide microbubbles during respiration. This hypothesis was used to construct an agent-based model of a diatom population. Calculations have shown that vertical movements maintain the existence of the population. Different regimes of surface illumination make it possible to obtain various distributions of cell numbers in the upper and lower water layers, which is consistent with the data of expeditionary observations.