Physico-biological modeling of seasonal changes of plankton community in south of Hormoz strait

Abstract

Planktons are floating microscopic organisms that are confirmed as the primary producers and initial transporters of carbon to the higher levels of food webs. Moreover, planktons have an special importance and status in the habitat of aquatic ecosystems and therefore, their population dynamic assessment is essential in the study of these ecosystems. An extensive range of physical factors viz. nutrients, light, temperature and osmotic stresses influence the growth rate and population of phytoplankton. In the present study, the seasonal dispersion of planktonic populations was modeled in the Strait of Hormuz in 1998, using coupled one- dimensional model (GOTM/NPZD). The results of water column modeling in the summer exhibited the presence of very powerful thermocline and halocline layering in the water column, which maintain till the end of autumn and resulted in hindrance of the water column mix. The model output is indicative of the phytoplankton bloom in the spring followed by zooplankton bloom with a short delay. The zooplankton population bloom peak was at the end of spring. In winter, due to water mixing, temperature and salinity were homogenous in the water column and there were no observed changes in plankton population in studying area According to model output