A Mathematical Model for Growth of Sargassum Horneri and Its Environment

Abstract

Seaweed plays an important role in aquatic ecosystem. It supplies nutrient and provides the place of life for many kinds of living organism in the sea. In order to control the marine resources reasonably, a study on the growth dynamics of seaweed is necessary.
First, effects of solar radiation and water temperature on photosynthetic activity are considered. Secondly, a seasonal effect is introduced as a physiological phenomenon. Finally, a mathematical model of growth dynamics of Sargassum horneri is constructed from the idea of operating these effects multiplicatively. The model, parameters are determined on the basis of the observation data which were measured for Sargassum horneri at Notojima Aquarium, Ishikawa Prefecture. By a computer simulation, the weight of Sargassum horneri is estimated for any change of the environmental conditions.