Modelling the effects of temperature and food on individual growth and reproduction of Daphnia and their consequences on the population level

Individual based simulations of population dynamics require the availability of growth models with adequate complexity. For this purpose a simple-to-use model (non-linear multiple regression approach) is presented describing somatic growth and reproduction of Daphnia as a function of time, temperature and food quantity. The model showed a good agreement with published observations of somatic growth (r² = 0.954, n = 88) and egg production (r² = 0.898, n = 35). Temperature is the main determinant of initial somatic growth and food concentration is the main determinant of maximal body length and clutch size. An individual based simulation was used to demonstrate the simultaneous effects of food and temperature on the population level. Evidently, both temperature and food supply affected the population growth rate but at food concentrations above approximately 0.4 mg Cl⁻¹ Scenedesmus acutus temperature appeared as the main determinant of population growth.

Four simulation examples are given to show the wide applicability of the model: (1) analysis of the correlation between population birth rate and somatic growth rate, (2) contribution of egg development time and delayed somatic growth to temperature-effects on population growth, (3) comparison of population birth rate in simulations with constant vs. decreasing size at maturity with declining food concentrations and (4) costs of diel vertical migration. Due to its plausible behaviour over a broad range of temperature (2–20 °C) and food conditions (0.1–4 mg Cl⁻¹) the model can be used as a module for more detailed simulations of Daphnia population dynamics under realistic environmental conditions.     

Optimum multiple tuned mass dampers for structures under the ground acceleration based on the uniform distribution of system parameters

The five MTMD models, with natural frequencies being uniformly distributed around their mean frequency, have been recently presented by the first author. They are shown to have the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio (more precisely, for a given mass ratio there is an upper limit on the total number, beyond which the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio occurs). In this paper, the eight new MTMD models (i.e. the UM‐MTMD1～UM‐MTMD3, US‐MTMD1～US‐MTMD3, UD‐MTMD1 and UD‐MTMD2), with the system parameters (mass, stiffness and damping coefficient) being, respectively, uniformly distributed around their average values, have been, for the first time here, proposed to seek for the MTMD models without the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio. The structure is represented by the mode‐generalized system corresponding to the specific vibration mode that needs to be controlled. Through minimization of the minimum values of the maximum dynamic magnification factors (DMF) of the structure with the eight MTMD models (i.e. through the implementation of Min.Min.Max.DMF), the optimum parameters and values of Min.Min.Max.DMF for these eight MTMD models are investigated to evaluate and compare their control performance. The optimum parameters include the optimum mass spacing, stiffness spacing, damping coefficient spacing, frequency spacing, average damping ratio and tuning frequency ratio. The six MTMD models without the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio (i.e. the UM‐MTMD1～UM‐MTMD3, US‐MTMD1, US‐MTMD2 and UD‐MTMD2) are found through extensive numerical analyses. Likewise, the optimum UM‐MTMD3 offers the higher effectiveness and robustness and requires the smaller damping with respect to the rest of the MTMD models in reducing the responses of structures subjected to earthquakes. Additionally, it is interesting to note, by comparing the optimum UM‐MTMD3 with the optimum MTMD‐1 recently investigated by the first author, that the effectiveness and robustness for the optimum UM‐MTMD3 is almost identical to that for the optimum MTMD‐1 (without inclusion of the optimum MTMD‐1 with the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio). Recognizing these performance benefits, it is preferable to employ the optimum UM‐MTMD3 or the optimum MTMD‐1 without the near‐zero optimum average damping ratio, when installing the MTMD for the suppression of undesirable oscillations of structures under earthquakes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A hybrid indirect boundary element—discrete wave number method applied to simulate the seismic response of stratified alluvial valleys

A hybrid indirect boundary element – discrete wavenumber method is presented and applied to model the ground motion on stratified alluvial valleys under incident plane SH waves from an elastic half-space. The method is based on the single-layer integral representation for diffracted waves. Refracted waves in the horizontally stratified region can be expressed as a linear superposition of solutions for a set of discrete wavenumbers. These solutions are obtained in terms of the Thomson–Haskell propagators formalism. Boundary conditions of continuity of displacements and tractions along the common boundary between the half-space and the stratified region lead to a system of equations for the sources strengths and the coefficients of the plane wave expansion. Although the regions share the boundary, the discretization schemes are different for both sides: for the exterior region, it is based on the numerical and analytical integration of exact Green's functions for displacements and tractions whereas for the layered part, a collocation approach is used. In order to validate this approach results are compared for well-known cases studied in the literature. A homogeneous trapezoidal valley and a parabolic stratified valley were studied and excellent agreement with previous computations was found. An example is given for a stratified inclusion model of an alluvial deposit with an irregular interface with the half-space. Results are displayed in both frequency and time domains. These results show the significant influence of lateral heterogeneity and the emergence of locally generated surface waves in the seismic response of alluvial valleys.     

共线条件方程式教学中的几个问题

指出了共线条件方程式教学中应注意的一些问题：共线条件方程式是联立的两个平面方程式，存在双主距（fx,fy)时的几何概念，以及它的变换式与直接线性变换关系式的异同点。     

多因素复杂系统最佳因素权重确定的一种新思路——以深港西部通道工程深圳湾公路大桥为例

为了客观地反映各因素对目标问题的影响程度,本文首次提出了最佳因素权重概念。定义最佳因素权重为研究区域内系统质量处于极限状态时的各因素权重之组合。结合深港西部通道工程深圳湾公路大桥桥址比选方案,详细说明了本方法的研究思路及其确定方法。通过最佳因素权重方法,能客观地、定量地确定出多因素复杂系统中的最优场址。     

基桩缺陷逐步能量恢复递推定量分析

通过大量正演计算,对不同桩周土条件下缺陷程度与时域速度响应波形中入射波波幅与反射波波幅的比值进行了相关性分析,拟合出桩侧土为粘土、砂土、粉土条件下桩径变化程度与波幅比之间的关系式。通过理论分析,在基桩存在多缺陷时,导出了缩颈与扩颈对下一个缺陷引起的反射波幅值的影响系数,进而,提出了逐步能量恢复递推缺陷程度的理论与方法,在时间域中,实现了基桩存在多缺陷时的低应变动测缺陷量化分析。模型桩试验分析结果表明,缺陷量化分析方法可取得显著效果。     

中国西部退耕还林(草)和沙漠化土地绿化的区域性气候效应

中国正在实施的西部大开发必将导致较大规模的土地利用和地表覆盖(LULC)变化,其中最重要的两类LULC变化是退耕还林(草)和沙漠化土地绿化工程。利用最新的全球地表特征资料数据库(GLCCD)识别以上两项生态建设工程的实施规模与范围,并以此更新了目前比较流行的区域气候模式的下边界条件,利用修正了的区域气候模式研究上述大规模LULC变化可能对中国区域性气候造成的影响。使用的卫星资源数据库是由美国地质测绘局(USGS)和Nebraska-Lincoln大学牵头,根据NOAA卫星的AVHRR资料、USGS掌握的高分辨率数字化地图,以及生态区划和植被分布等资料组建的。     

荒漠戈壁下垫面表面动量和感热湍流通量参数化研究

用合理筛选以后的野外观测资料，研究了荒漠戈壁地表湍流通量参数化的问题。首先，分析了Monin-obukhov相似函数的特征，并拟台出了其经验公式。结果表明，风速和温度相似性函数随稳定度参数的变化曲线与典型经验曲线差异较小，并且在经验曲线分布范围以内，但中性时的值有所不同。同时，还用该资料给出了动量和标量粗糙度(感热粗糙度)长度的平均值及其标量粗糙度随摩擦速度的变化关系。发现标量粗糙度的平均值大约比动量粗糙度的小一个量级，并且随摩擦速度的增大而减小，但明显比其理论预测值要大。     

丽江7.0级地震重力前兆模式研究<

为了研究1996年丽江MＳ7.0地震前地震孕育过程或前兆表现，利用滇西地震实验场内高精度重复重力观测数据，结合地质调查和地球物理推断结果，并考虑到观测数据和模型粗差， 采用稳健或抗差-贝叶斯最小二乘算法和多断层位错模型，首次初步反演获得了研究区主要活动断裂滑动的时间变化分布．结果表明，1990～1997年断层运动的时间变化，较好地反映了1996年丽江MＳ7.0地震孕育过程．其主要前兆模式图象具有主震余震型特征，遵循地壳内部密度和地壳形变耦合运动模式（简称DD耦合运动模式）．      

山西大同盆地口泉断裂全新世古地震活动

野外调查表明 ,口泉断裂断错了断面附近的 3级地貌面 ,包括大同盆地西侧全新世形成的洪积扇后缘及位于洪积扇冲沟内的Ⅰ ,Ⅱ级阶地。其中冲沟内Ⅱ级阶地为剥蚀阶地 ,Ⅰ级阶地为堆积阶地 ,Ⅰ级阶地面的地层时代距今 2 52ka。在该断裂的悟道及上黄庄 2个地点开挖的大探槽表明 ,在距今 1 2 3万年以来该断裂曾发生 4次古地震事件 ,其中 3次分别发生在接近距今 2 52 ,5 6 8,13 73ka。另一次古地震事件发生在距今 6 76～ 10 82ka。这些数据有可能反映了口泉断裂具备准周期的强震活动。这 4次古地震事件的平均间隔约为 3 74ka ,最新一次古地震与上一次事件的时间间隔约为 3 16ka。 2个大探槽各次事件的平均最小同震垂直位移为 1 8m。这些资料对重新评价口泉断裂未来的地震潜势具有重要意义