Mapping of Model Estimates of Phytoplankton Biomass from Remote Sensing Data

Phytoplankton is the lowest level of the trophic chain determining the aquatic ecosystem productivity. Information about the surface phytoplankton distribution over a large area can be obtained by the modern remote methods. Satellite signal penetrates only into the upper layer, so these methods are limited. Plant biomass volume located under the surface water layer differs significantly from the remote data. Vertical model of phytoplankton functioning based on the concept of fitness function is used to reconstruct the integral biomass in the whole water column under a unit area. Phytoplankton community is considered under its aspiration to occupy the niche most favorable for life. The community growth rate coincides with the specific growth rate of phytoplankton. The model solution reduces to solving the Cauchy problem for a system of ordinary differential equations with the remote sensing data as the initial conditions. The remote sensing data of the Sea of Japan and Issyk-Kul Lake are used for the model testing. The model solution visualization gives an idea of the spatial distribution of biomass within the entire zone where the photosynthesis takes place.