Aquatic ecosystems display complex spatially-varying patterns of growth and decay. These patterns are produced by the interaction of numerous physical and biological processes that result in characteristic scales of patchiness with important ecological consequences…
Contents
Chapter 1: General Introduction
1.1 The Issue of Extrapolation
1.2 Physical and Biological Scales of Patchiness in Aquatic Systems
1.3 Patchiness Issues Associated with Experimental Ecosystems
1.4 Linking Experimental Ecosystems to Marine Systems
1.5 Dissertation Objectives
1.6 Components of Modeling System
1.7 Dissertation Structure
Chapter 2: Sensitivity analysis of an NPZD pelagic ecosystem model under changing chemical, biological, and physical conditions
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Methods
2.2.1 General Model Description
2.2.2 Model Parameters
2.2.3 Model equations
2.2.4 Sensitivity Analysis
2.2.5 Experimental Treatments
2.3 Results
2.3.1 General sensitivity dynamics
2.3.2 Sensitivity response to variation in external drivers (Independent effects)
2.3.3 Simultaneous variation of external drivers (Factorial
experiments)
2.3.4 Dominant model parameters
2.4 Discussion
2.4.1 Sensitivity Dynamics
2.4.2 Response to changing environmental conditions
2.4.3 State variable effects on sensitivity results
2.4.4 Model structure and form effects on sensitivity results
2.4.5 Comparison of sensitivity results between studies
2.5 Conclusions
Chapter 3: A novel grid-based method for simulating idealized turbulence in aquatic systems
Abstract
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Methods
3.2.1 Simulation Platform
3.2.2 Eulerian seeded eddy model (ESEM)
3.2.3 Subgrid Diffusive Mixing
3.2.4 Experimental Treatments
3.3 Results
3.3.1 Breakdown of a passive tracer
3.3.2 Instantaneous velocity spectrum
3.3.3 Spreading rate of a patch
3.4 Discussion
3.4.1 Benefits of the ESEM method
3.4.2 Limitations, assumptions and potential improvements
3.4.3 Applications of the ESEM….
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Author: Scheurer, David Scheurer
Source: University of Maryland
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