Inverse reconstructions of ecosystem flows in investigating regime shifts: impact of the choice of objective function

Inverse analysis is increasingly used in ecosystem modelling to objectively reconstruct a large number of unknown flows or interactions from a small number of observations. This type of analysis may be useful in relating observed regime shifts in ecosystem structure to underlying processes. Inversions of ecosystem flow networks currently use a constrained least-squares solution which at the same time minimizes the squared norm (the sum of squares) of the reconstructed flows. This minimum norm (MN) inversion is thought to be a parsimonious solution to the ecosystem flow inverse problem, but it may well not reflect how ecosystems are organised. It has been proposed instead that ecosystems evolve to maximize energy/mass flows or that they maximize the information content of the network weighted by ecosystem flows (ascendancy). We used simulated inverse experiments, where inverse analyses are applied to simulations of flow networks, to explore objective functions different than the MN generally used. We could not compute inverse solutions that maximize ascendancy because the objective function is unbounded. We could calculate inversions that maximize flows; however, these generally overestimated the simulated flows, even though the simulations were designed to maximize flows. It appears that the ecosystem flow inverse problem is too under-determined (too few data relative to the number of unknowns) to allow the use of these maximizing goal functions. We introduce a new minimization that simultaneously minimizes the squared flows and the squared differences between flows. This smoothing minimization makes the inverse flows as even as possible and it helps with some technical issues with MN inversions. The simulated inverse experiments indicated that this smoothed norm (SM) is the most robust in comparative analyses of contrasting ecosystem states, such as those that can be associated with regime shifts. Like the MN inversion, the SM inversion has no ecological basis. However, it is a conservative norm that is less likely to produce false differences between the dynamics of regimes.     

Responses of a Mediterranean soft bottom community to short-term (1993-1996) hydrological changes in the Rhone river

The polychaete fauna of muddy bottoms off the Rhone delta (NW Mediterranean) was seasonally sampled at two sites at 70 m depth, from 1993 to 1996. During this period, five severe flood events occurred. A clustering analysis (distance coefficient of Whittaker) and three way fixed factor ANOVAs (site x season x year) showed strong year-to-year changes in species density and community structure, changes that masked seasonal variations. Total density increased by a factor of 3 and density of most species significantly increased following the first flooding event. Changes in the community structure were due to the successive dominance of a few species. The opportunistic species, such as Cossura sp., Mediomastus sp. and Polycirrus sp., exhibited peaks in density 1-3 months after the flood. These peaks were followed by a drastic decline. For species with a long life span, such as Sternaspis scutata, a slower but continuous increase in density was observed which was maintained for several months. The density fluctuations of these species exhibited a good correlation with river flow with time lags of 1-2 years. The successional dynamics observed are explained according to the geographical origin of the floods and the biology and feeding ecology of species.     

基于SLAF测序分析3个塔形马蹄螺群体的遗传结构和多样性*

塔形马蹄螺(Tectus pyramis), 海洋软体动物, 广泛分布于中国深圳大鹏湾、海南岛、西沙和南沙群岛的珊瑚礁生态系统中。文章采用特异性位点扩增片段简化基因组测序技术(SLAF-seq)对来自深圳(SZ)、三亚(SY)和西沙(XS)的塔形马蹄螺群体的遗传多样性和结构进行分析。通过测序共获得115.74Mb读长数据, 平均测序深度为337.87倍, 测序质量值(Q₃₀)平均为94.07%。研究获得118679个多态性SLAF标签, 获得846502个高度一致的群体单核苷酸多态性位点(SNPs), 其中有155个显著差异SNPs。3个群体的平均观察杂合度(H_o)和期望杂合度(H_e)值分别为0.1441~0.1611和0.2537~0.2695。平均多态性信息含量(PIC)为0.2048~0.2176。通过系统发育树分析、主成分分析和聚类分析, 将45个个体大致分为3个类群, 每个群体的所有个体都可以聚类成一个类群。SZ和SY群体的遗传结构相似, 遗传距离最低(0.2510), 遗传分化系数F_st值最低(0.0818)。但XS与其他两个群体间的遗传分化明显, 尤其是XS和SZ群体(F_st=0.1868)。3个群体的遗传分化可能与海流和地理位置有关。     

Simulation of green water flow on deck using non-linear dam breaking theory

Experiments carried out with models of floating production, storage and offloading platforms (FPSOs) showed that the flow of water over the deck edge, onto the deck resembled a suddenly released wall of water rather than a breaking wave. Therefore green water flow onto the deck was simulated using dam breaking theory, but the theory’s shallow-water assumptions may be limiting. In this paper a non-linear dam breaking problem is formulated. Equations of motion in the Lagrangian form are used and the solution is sought as an infinite series in time. Comparisons with the shallow water approximation are carried out.     

Drag force on a circular cylinder in unseparated laminar high Reynolds number nonlinear random oscillatory flow

The stochastic properties of the drag force maxima on a circular cylinder subjected to nonlinear random waves are investigated. Unseparated laminar high Reynolds number flow is considered. A simplified approach based on second order Stokes waves is presented, including the sum-frequency effect only. It is demonstrated how a drag force formula valid for regular linear waves can be used to find the cumulative distribution function of individual drag force maxima for nonlinear irregular waves. Here the [Wang, 1968] drag force coefficient is used.     

0220号热带风暴(米克拉)特征分析

南海是热带气旋活动较为频繁的地区之一。该地区因其独特的地理环境和复杂的热带大气环流系统，在热带气旋预报工作上存在一定的困难。本文在分析一些气象图表资料的基础上，对2002年第20号热带风暴(米克拉)的形成、发展及消亡进行了探讨和研究。主要从形成的背景环流，气旋的结构等方面入手，总结出一些该气旋所具备韵特有流场，从而为以后的南海自生热带气旋预报工作积累一定经验。     

Fluid flow equations governing primary oil migration as a separate phase

A mathematical model of primary oil migration as a separate phase out of compacting shales is presented. During burial and oil generation, source rock porosity decreases and oil saturation increases until residual oil saturation is reached. At this stage oil is expelled out by capillary and excess fluid pressure gradients. The model is a system of differential equations which relate changes in oil and water saturation in time to water and oil flow out of the source rock during burial. An additional set of equations for periods of erosion of overburden are also provided. The equations can be numerically solved by finite difference method. If oil and water flow is to be simulated during oil generation, then at each time step, changes by oil generation in oil and water saturations and porosity must be calculated. The solution procedure is briefly outlined.     

分层海洋的内孤立波

本文从流体力学基本方程组出发,在非地转条件下导得了分层海洋的内孤立波方程—Kbv和mKdv方程,证实了在非地转条件下,一类海洋非线性波动是可以严格满足内孤立波方程的。在地转条件下采用f平面近似导出了KdV方程的演化形式一有源KdV方程,地转的影响含于源项中。由初步的分析得出,f对KdV方程的影响是微弱的。由已得的KdV和mKdV方程的解可知,内孤立波与线性波有着本质差别。