Shark and small fish underwater

Controllability of indicators

What relevant ecosystem indicators can we realistically estimate by assimilating ocean observations? 

This is one of the fundamental pieces of information that SEAMLESS wants to provide to the Copernicus Marine Service and, ultimately, to the service users. The answer clearly depends on the observations, the assimilation system and the model. So to answer this SEAMLESS screened the controllability of the whole set of indicators and observable variables, by using computationally efficient one-dimensional systems. We then focused on the controllability of the screened indicators by using the models and the new assimilation systems in the (pre)operational configurations of the operational centers of the Copernicus Marine Service. The reduction in the uncertainty of the indicators (e.g. decrease of the ensemble dispersions) with the assimilation of observations underpinned the assessment of the controllability of the indicators shown in the table.


 Assessment of observability/controllability levels of ecosystem indicators in the 5 CMEMS regions.
 

Indicator 

ARC 

BAL 

NWES 

MED 

GLO/IBI 

Phenology 

High 

High

High 

Medium 

High 

PP 

n/a 

Low

High 

Medium 

Medium 

POC flux 

n/a 

n/a  

High 

Low 

Medium 

PFT 

Medium 

Medium

Medium 

Medium 

n/a 

Trophic efficiency  

Medium 

 Medium

High 

Low 

Low