Signal Analysis of Irradiation, Temperature and Primary Production in a Small Artificial Pond: I. The Annual Signals

This paper provides an example of some initial steps in signal analysis applied to a simple aquatic ecosystem in the form of a small artificial pond. Irradation, water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration were continuously recorded over a two year period. Following the definition and discussion of several related parameters, an analysis procedure for trends and forced annual patterns was proposed and carried out. The annual pattern of photosynthetic fixation of solar energy is characterized by the annual level transfer efficiency, and for the periodic part of the process, by the transfer gain and phase shift. The possible role of temperature is briefly discussed.