Minimization of greenhouse effects by optimal plankton feeding: a simulation-based study

Abstract

Global warming and related greenhouse effects possess significant threats to environmental sustainability. This research investigates the possibility of reducing the greenhouse gas levels and associated ambient temperature by manipulating the plankton population in a given forecasting period. To achieve this goal, an optimal control strategy is developed by Pontryagin’s minimum principle, and it is applied to a recently derived nonlinear marine ecosystem model describing the variation of greenhouse gas levels, ambient temperature, and fish interactions. The main goal is to determine an external plankton generation profile that is expected to reduce the greenhouse gas levels and associated ambient temperature to the highest possible extent. The simulation results reveal that the optimal feeding strategy enables one to achieve a reduction of 54% in greenhouse gas levels and 95% in the associated ambient temperature. This research proposes a biological-based novel control approach that can serve as an alternative solution to environmental degradation.