  In this paper, by using a stochastic reaction-diffusion-taxis model, we
analyze the picophytoplankton dynamics in the basin of the Mediterranean Sea,
characterized by poorly mixed waters. The model includes intraspecific
competition of picophytoplankton for light and nutrients. The multiplicative
noise sources present in the model account for random fluctuations of
environmental variables. Phytoplankton distributions obtained from the model
show a good agreement with experimental data sampled in two different sites of
the Sicily Channel. The results could be extended to analyze data collected in
different sites of the Mediterranean Sea and to devise predictive models for
phytoplankton dynamics in oligotrophic waters.
