Approaches to Aquatic Ecosystems Organic Energy Assessment and Modelling

Abstract

The energetic potential of each water reservoir is formed by main components: solar power, gravitational energy, energy of environmental matter (cosmic, chemical, etc.) and biomass production energy processes. However, the energy contained in biomass producents is an important component of the energy balance of any aquatic ecosystem. Autotrophs production (primary production) is the only process of organic matter formation from inorganic compounds and therefore the energy of the primary products is the only source and indicator of biological energy loading in aquatic ecosystems. Gathering information about the total annual primary production of biomass and about temporal dynamics of primary biomass is the basis for trophic and energetic process management in freshwater bodies and seas. We have developed the conceptual approaches and mathematical model for potential energy of organic matters in natural systems assessment which allows the user to calculate on the basis of climatic and hydrochemical monitoring data the total amount of primary biomass within water volume or surface square units. The use of such approaches for energy potential estimation for the Black Sea unconventional power engineering purposes will allow elaborating a new effective management technique for energetic strategy and for environmental protection. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013.