A finite element ecological model: a first application to the Venice Lagoon

摘要: Abstract A Finite Element Ecological Model (FEEM) has been set up by fully coupling a primitive equation finite element hydrodynamic model (FEM) to an ecological derived from EUTRO, the submodel contained in water quality WASP, released US-EPA. The work required ‘decoupling’ of EUTRO WASP and its transformation into standalone program, testing such structure versus results obtained running 0D version, improvement parameterisation inclusion zooplankton as dynamic variable explicitly modelled, definition interface module, actual improved module model. integrated then applied, first test, Venice Lagoon (VELFEEM). To this aim idealised forcings (tide, meteo) have used together with field data (river discharge, nutrient loadings) run simulations over one-year period. Analysis shows that is numerically stable, variations state variables are consistent, nutrients, plankton oxygen evolves space time ecologically coherent way. Main features lagoon, namely seasonal evolution dispersion nutrients point sources qualitatively reproduced. An additional result version organised independent which can be single subroutine call, therefore easily any coupled here presented demonstrates ease integration.