Planktonic organisms drive biogeochemical cycles and play a crucial role in marine food webs. Additionally, marine plankton can directly or indirectly affect industries in the blue economy. However, economic activities themselves can alter the marine environment so that plankton dynamics are affected. A Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton-Detritus (NPZD) model was used to describe phyto- and zooplankton dynamics in the BPNS and simulate the effects of two economic developments: mussel aquaculture and an offshore wind farm. According to model predictions, introducing mussel aquaculture in the BPNS would cause severe phyto- and zooplankton depletion with biomass declines ranging from 96.5% to 99.9% depending on the time of year. Whereas offshore wind infrastructure would increase median yearly phytoplankton biomass by 50.5% and decrease yearly zooplankton biomass by 95.3%. Additionally, seasonal patterns changed, with a shift from three yearly blooms towards two. It can thus be concluded that commercial activities in the BPNS have the potential to significantly alter plankton dynamics. Modeling approaches such as applied in this thesis, in addition to increased monitoring efforts, can be a valuable tool to assist policy makers decision-making concerning permitting and spatial planning of economic activities in the BPNS.
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