Modelling freshwater phytoplankton communities: an exercise in validation

A total of ten validation statistics were used to test a new freshwater phy toplankton model, PROTECH-C. The biological output of the model was compare d with data collected from Blelham Tarn, in the English Lake District. The usefulness of the statistics and visual fits were evaluated, as well as PRO TECH-C. It was concluded that only some of the statistics were suitable, gi ven the magnitude and range of the data, and that visual fits are still vit al, particularly with ecological data which can be episodic in nature. PROT ECH-C was found to simulate total chlorophyll and the algal functional grou ps to a satisfactory level; its failure to model individual species was exp ected given the ecological level at which PROTECH-C simulates, i.e. species ' populations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.