The impact of river load variability on the North Aegean ecosystem functioning over the last
decades (1980–2000) was investigated by means of a coupled hydrodynamic/
biogeochemical model simulation. Model results were validated against available SeaWiFS
Chl-a and in situ data. The simulated food web was found dominated by small cells, in
agreement with observations, with most of the carbon channelled through the microbial loop.
Diatoms and dinoflagellates presented a higher relative abundance in the more productive …