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Functional relationships which parameterize growth based on the Eppley temperature relationship for phytoplankton maximal growth rates are increasingly being used in marine and freshwater ecosystem models. In this paper, we demonstrate the effect of using such generalized relationships in modelling studies. Two suites of numerical experiments are carried out to investigate the sensitivity of models to generalized growth relationships. In each experiment, 100 individual species or groups of phytoplankton are allowed to compete under a variety of growth versus temperature relationships. One suite of experiments is carried out within a simple ‘chemostat’ type model that is forced with seasonally varying temperature and photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) fields. A second suite of experiments is carried out using a biogeochemical mixed-layer model to demonstrate the sensitivity of these models to various temperature versus growth relationships. The key difference in the biogeochemical mixed-layer simulations is in the timing of the ecosystem response to seasonal variability of the mixed-layer depth and temperature. The Eppley growth versus temperature relationship overestimates phytoplankton growth by as much as 80% during the spring when growth rates are crucial to the timing of the spring blooms. This decrease in growth rates causes a delay in the spring phytoplankton bloom which in turn results in significant changes in all other model constituents. The results from both suites of experiments show that it is important to resolve the intrinsic growth dynamics of a population in order to properly resolve the maximum growth rates of phytoplankton populations. The results also present a possible explanation for why phytoplankton are commonly found growing within water colder than their optimal temperature for growth. A dynamic growth versus temperature model is introduced that is capable of resolving the growth dynamics of a population of phytoplankton under a variety of temperature forcing scenarios. This new growth versus temperature model/relationship will be useful in global biogeochemical models and demonstrates the importance of underlying population dynamics in controlling bulk community growth estimates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]