Physical–biological coupling in spore dispersal of kelp forest macroalgae

The physical–biological linkages controlling the dispersal of spores produced by macroalgae that reside in kelp forests are complicated and laced with feedbacks. Here we discuss the fundamental elements of these interactions. Biological considerations include spore swimming and sinking speeds, their periods of viability in the plankton, and the height of spore release above the seafloor, which together determine the durations over which spores can be swept by horizontal currents before they contact the seafloor. Morphologies and material properties of canopy forming kelps may also influence the drag exerted on passing waters by the kelps, the plants' ability to persist in the face of rapid flows, and thereby the degree to which impinging currents are redirected around, or slowed within, kelp forests. Macroalgal life histories, and the size of spore sources as controlled by the dimensions of kelp forests and the density and fecundity of individuals within them, influence effective dispersal distances as well. Physical considerations encompass the mean speed, direction, and timescales of variability of currents relative to spore suspension times, the interaction of surface gravity waves with currents in producing turbulence in the benthic boundary layer, wind-driven surface mixing, water stratification, and shoreline bathymetry and substratum roughness, all of which can affect the interplay of vertical and horizontal transport of macroalgal spores. Intricate within-forest processes may induce attenuation of current speeds and consequent reductions in seabed shear, along with simultaneous production of small-scale turbulence in kelp wakes. Slower mean currents and smaller eddy scales in turn may attenuate vertical mixing within forests, thus extending spore suspension times. Further complexities likely arise due to changes in the relative rates of horizontal and vertical dispersion, modifications to the overall profiles of vertical mixing, and the creation of fine-scale secondary flows around kelp individuals and substratum features. Under conditions of more rapid currents, submergence of the surface canopy and the establishment of skimming flows at the canopy–fluid interface may introduce additional coherent flow structures that alter rates of fluid exchange to and from the forest. Many of these coupled physical–biological processes are just beginning to be examined in a rigorous fashion in kelp forests, but their potential importance is clear.     

过饱和道路交通控制信号周期优化解分析

分析了过饱和交通条件下城市道路信号控制交叉口周期参数值的优化解。以拥挤消散时间和路网总延误为控制目标,采用定时信号控制策略,基于元胞传输模型建立了路网优化控制模型,并采用遗传算法优化信号配时,对比了不同信号周期条件下拥挤消散时间和路网总延误的变化规律。最后,本文以某市L路为算例分析了周期值与消散时间及路网总延误的关系,结论表明路网在过饱和拥堵条件下,当控制周期大于某一临界周期值时,相位差和绿信比的优化将无法抑制消散时间的持续增长趋势;最优配时结果的路网总延误值比采用传统最大周期控制策略的路网总延误值降低17％以上。     

Tectonically active sediment dispersal system in SW Taiwan margin with emphasis on the Gaoping (Kaoping) Submarine Canyon

The sediment dispersal system in southwestern Taiwan margin consists of two main parts: the subaerial drainage basin and the offshore receiving marine basin. In plan view, this sediment dispersal system can be further divided into five geomorphic units: (1) the Gaoping (formerly spelled Kaoping) River drainage basin, (2) the Gaoping (Kaoping) Shelf, (3) the Gaoping (Kaoping) Slope, (4) the Gaoping (Kaoping) Submarine Canyon and (5) the Manila Trench in the northernmost South China Sea. The Gaoping River drainage basin is a small (3250 km²), tectonically active and overfilled foreland basin, receiving sediments derived from the uprising Central Range of Taiwan with a maximum elevation of 3952 m. The Gaoping Submarine Canyon begins at the mouth of the Gaoping River, crosses the narrow Gaoping Shelf (~ 10 km) and the Gaoping Slope, and finally merges into the northern termination of the Manila Trench over a distance of ~ 260 km. The SW Taiwan margin dispersal system is characterized by a direct river-canyon connection with a narrow shelf and frequent episodic sediment discharge events in the canyon head.In a regional source to sink scheme, the Gaoping River drainage basin is the primary source area, the Gaoping Shelf being the sediment bypass zone and the Gaoping Slope being the temporary sink and the Manila Trench being the ultimate sink of the sediment from the Taiwan orogen. It is inferred from seismic data that the outer shelf and upper slope region can be considered as a line source for mass wasting deposits delivered to the lower Gaoping Slope where small depressions between diapiric ridges are partially filled with sediment or are empty.At present, recurrent hyperpycnal flows during the flood seasons are temporarily depositing sediments mainly derived from the Gaoping River in the head of the Gaoping Submarine Canyon. On the decadal and century timescales, sediments temporarily stored in the upper reach are removed over longer timescales probably by downslope-eroding sediment flows within the canyon. Presently, the Gaoping Submarine Canyon serves as the major conduit for transporting terrestrial sediment from the Taiwan orogen to the marine sink of the Manila Trench. Seismic data indicate that the Gaoping Submarine Canyon has been eroding the Gaoping Slope intensely by presumed hyperpycnal flows and transporting sediments from the canyon head to the middle and lower reaches of the canyon. The middle reach is a sediment bypass zone whereas the lower reach serves as either a temporary sediment sink or a sediment conduit, depending on relative prevalence to deposition or erosion during canyon evolution. Contrast differences in channel gradient and travel length between the Gaoping and Amazon sediment dispersal systems suggest that the Gaoping (Kaoping) River-Canyon system is an active sediment dispersal system for transporting terrestrial materials to the deep sea. The fate of the Gaoping River sediment is the northern Manila Trench.     

Ground travel mode choices of air arrivals at regional destinations: The significance of tourism attributes and destination contexts

The aim of this paper is to examine the air leisure arrivals’ ground travel mode choice in the context of their decision to disperse beyond the gateway. A stated choice experiment was designed to examine the dispersal and travel mode choice of leisure visitors arriving on air transport at Cairns. Results show that for a hypothetical public bus alternative, attributes such as ‘sightseeing opportunities’ and ‘driver quality’ were significant for trips made to less known destinations located south of Cairns, compared to destinations north of Cairns. Findings suggest that while travel mode attributes and trip characteristics are significant determinants of the mode choice of air leisure arrivals, the extent of their significance varied markedly across destinations. Although the data examined in this paper were collected in Cairns, this research should be of relevance to many regions interested in understanding the relationship between destination transport and dispersal of air arrivals.     

A numerical study of stochastic larval settlement in the California Current system

Key to the predictive understanding of many nearshore marine ecosystems is the transport of larvae by ocean circulation processes. Many species release thousands to billions of larvae to develop in pelagic waters, but only a few lucky ones successfully settle to suitable habitat and recruit to adult life stages. Methodologies for predicting the larval dispersal are still primitive, and simple diffusive analyses are still used for many important applications. In this study, we investigate mechanisms of larval dispersal using idealized simulations of time-evolving coastal circulations in the California Current system with Lagrangian particles as models for planktonic larvae. Connectivity matrices, which describe the source-to-destination relationships for larval dispersal for a given larval development time course, are used to diagnose the time–space dynamics of larval settlement. The resulting connectivity matrices are shown to be a function of several important time scales, such as the planktonic larval duration, the frequency and duration of larval release events and inherent time scales for the coastal circulations. Many important fishery management applications require knowledge of fish stocks on a year-to-year or generation-to-generation basis. For these short time scales (typically less than 1 year), larval dispersal is generally far from a simple diffusive process and the consideration of the stochastic and episodic nature of larval dispersal is required. This work provides new insights into the spatial–temporal dynamics of nearshore fish stocks.     

城市交通拥挤的动态疏导策略研究

从缓解城市交通拥挤的决策需求出发,对城市交通拥挤的动态疏导策略技术进行了评述。首先根据交通发展的历史归纳出各种拥挤对策．接着根据交通拥挤类型的不同重点分析了2种动态的策略——信号控制和诱导策略的国内外研究现状．指出了存在的问题。进而重点阐述了研究应该改进的方向,并提出了一些策略,最后提出了动态疏导策略的流程图,为城市交通拥挤疏导决策的实际开发提供了基础。     

自适应步长的细菌觅食优化算法研究

细菌觅食优化算法是一种群集智能优化算法,该文详细分析了细菌觅食优化算法中最重要的趋向性操作,其中步长对算法的效率和精度有很大影响;根据菌群中细菌个体间的位置信息,设计了动态步长估值函数,自适应的调整步长.通过经典函数的测试,说明改进细菌觅食优化算法在收敛速度和精度上比原有算法有极大提高.     

基于虚拟化的分布式数据容灾保护

基于网络层存储虚拟化,结合(n,m)数据分散技术,提出了一种适于分散部署的多数据中心、多容灾备份中心之间的分布式数据容灾保护方案.该方案通过对容灾数据的拆分与整合来实现分布式保护,在保证容灾数据灾难恢复能力的基础上,既减少了存储空间的占用率,又增强了容灾数据的安全性.