Pelagic functional group modeling: Progress, challenges and prospects

In this paper, we review the state of the art and major challenges in current efforts to incorporate biogeochemical functional groups into models that can be applied on basin-wide and global scales, with an emphasis on models that might ultimately be used to predict how biogeochemical cycles in the ocean will respond to global warming. We define the term ‘‘biogeochemical functional group’’ to refer to groups of organisms that mediate specific chemical reactions in the ocean. Thus, according to this definition, ‘‘functional groups’’ have no phylogenetic meaning—these are composed of many different species with common biogeochemical functions. front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. r2.2006.01.025 ng author. Tel.: +1410 221 8434; fax: +1 410 221 8490. ss: [email protected] (R.R. Hood). inia Institution of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA. ine Sciences Program and Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.