We implemented the functional trait of diapause for zooplanktonic functional groups in a biogeochemical model in order to have a more realistic representation of the highly seasonal dynamics of Arctic planktonic ecosystems. We used the MITgcm (Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model) with the Darwin ecosystem module (Follows et al. 2007) coupled with arctic forcing data (see below). The version of the emergent biogeochemical Darwin that we used is coupling the functional trait approach with the use of different size classes (Ward et al. 2012, Talmy et al. 2016). By doing so it first generates many functional groups, exhibiting many functional species spread along a size range. These species are then put into a numerical physical environment. The functional species that are the most fitted to this numerical environment will “survive” whereas the other will not. This is how after some years of spin-up we obtain an emergent community of functional species.