Ocean Science www.ocean-sci.net 1812-0784 1812-0792 2 2 2006 10.5194/os-2-249-2006 http://www.ocean-sci.net/2/249/2006/ http://www.ocean-sci.net/2/249/2006/os-2-249-2006.html http://www.ocean-sci.net/2/249/2006/os-2-249-2006.pdf 249 266 2006-12-06 Mechanisms controlling primary and new production in a global ecosystem model – Part I: Validation of the biological simulation E. E. Popova ekp@noc.soton.ac.uk A. C. Coward G. A. Nurser B. de Cuevas M. J. R. Fasham T. R. Anderson National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton, UK A global general circulation model coupled to a simple six-compartment ecosystem model is used to study the extent to which global variability in primary and export production can be realistically predicted on the basis of advanced parameterizations of upper mixed layer physics, without recourse to introducing extra complexity in model biology. The "K profile parameterization" (KPP) scheme employed, combined with 6-hourly external forcing, is able to capture short-term periodic and episodic events such as diurnal cycling and storm-induced deepening. The model realistically reproduces various features of global ecosystem dynamics that have been problematic in previous global modelling studies, using a single generic parameter set. The realistic simulation of deep convection in the North Atlantic, and lack of it in the North Pacific and Southern Oceans, leads to good predictions of chlorophyll and primary production in these contrasting areas. Realistic levels of primary production are predicted in the oligotrophic gyres due to high frequency external forcing of the upper mixed layer (accompanying paper Popova et al., 2006) and novel parameterizations of zooplankton excretion. Good agreement is shown between model and observations at various JGOFS time series sites: BATS, KERFIX, Papa and HOT. 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