Mechanistic Virtual Modeling: Coupling a Plant Simulation Model with a Three-dimensional Plant Architecture Component

The aim of this research is to integrate plant architectural modeling or “visualization modeling” and “mechanistic” or physiologically based modeling to describe how a real plant functions using a virtual crop. Virtual crops are life-like computer representations of crops based on individual plants and including the representation of the substrate on which the plants grow. The integration of a three-dimensional expression and the mechanistic model of plant development and growth requires the knowledge of the position of the organs along the different plant axes (the topology), their sizes, their forms, and their spatial orientation. The plant simulation model simulates the topology and organ weight or length. The superposition of spatial position and the topology produces the architecture of the plant. The association between sizes and organs creates what we refer to as the plant morphological model. Both components, the architectural model and the morphology model, are detailed in this paper. Once the integration is complete, the system produces a movie-like animation that shows the plant growing. The integrated model may simulate one or several plants growing simultaneously (in parallel). Visual capabilities make the proposed system very unique as it allows users to judge the results of the simulation the same way a farmer judges the situation of the crops in real life, by visually observing the field.     

Evaluating Spatio-temporal Complexities of Forest Management: An Integrated Agent-based Modeling and GIS Approach

The objective of this study is to integrate agent-based modeling and geographic information systems (GIS) for examining how interactions within forest management lead to patterns of land-cover change. Specifically, this study evaluates how management agents behave in the presence of variable timber prices, harvesting costs, and accessibility to timber and how their actions influence the spatial characteristics of the forest landscape over time. The GIS calculates the average harvested patch size, number of patches, and total harvested area as measures of emergent patterns resulting from agent actions. The results from the agent-based GIS model reveal that good economic conditions lead to few but large harvested patches, while deteriorating conditions will see more patches of smaller size if forest companies have access to high-quality timber. This study emphasizes the need for a complex systems approach to forest management as the model illustrates how system elements interact in a manner to produce emergent spatial patterns over time.     

聚乙烯残膜破碎过程对土壤水分入渗的影响

为探究残膜-微塑料破碎过程对土壤水分入渗能力的影响,通过室内土柱试验,设置5组残膜-微塑料比例（100%～0,75%～25%,50%～50%,25%～75%,0～100%）来模拟不同的残膜破碎程度,研究了残膜-微塑料破碎对湿润锋运移和累积入渗量的影响,并评价了主要入渗模型在不同破碎程度土壤中的适用性.结果表明,湿润锋运移速率和累积入渗量随着残膜-微塑料破碎程度的增大而增大,当入渗时间为300min时,残膜完全破碎组（T4）较未破碎组（CK）的湿润锋运移距离增大48.72%（P<0.05）,累积入渗量增大46.77%.随着残膜破碎程度的增大,各模型拟合效率呈现上升的趋势.湿润锋推进模型的参数B随着残膜破碎程度的增大呈现增大的趋势.Kostiakov模型的参数α,Philip模型中的参数S和C随残膜破碎程度增大而增大.总体上,Kostiakov模型对土壤累计入渗量的模拟效果优于Philip模型.本研究可为残膜污染土壤的水分入渗规律和模拟研究提供参考.     

Seasonal and diurnal gas exchange differences in ozone-sensitive common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) in relation to ozone uptake

Stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) plants in two different soil moisture regimes were directly quantified and subsequently modeled over an entire growing season. Direct measurements captured the dynamic response of stomatal conductance to changing environmental conditions throughout the day, as well as declining gas exchange and carbon assimilation throughout the growth period beyond an early summer maximum. This phenomenon was observed in plants grown both with and without supplemental soil moisture, the latter of which should theoretically mitigate against harmful physiological effects caused by exposure to ozone. Seasonally declining rates of stomatal conductance were found to be substantial and incorporated into models, making them less susceptible to the overestimations of effective exposure that are an inherent source of error in ozone exposure indices. The species-specific evidence presented here supports the integration of dynamic physiological processes into flux-based modeling approaches for the prediction of ozone injury in vegetation.     

Hydrochemistry of urban groundwater, Seoul, Korea: the impact of subway tunnels on groundwater quality

Hydrogeologic and hydrochemical data for subway tunnel seepage waters in Seoul (Republic of Korea) were examined to understand the effect of underground tunnels on the degradation of urban groundwater. A very large quantity of groundwater (up to 63 million m³ year^− 1) is discharged into subway tunnels with a total length of 287 km, resulting in a significant drop of the local groundwater table and the abandonment of groundwater wells. For the tunnel seepage water samples (n = 72) collected from 43 subway stations, at least one parameter among pathogenic microbes (total coliform, heterotrophic bacteria), dissolved Mn and Fe, NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, turbidity, and color exceeded the Korean Drinking Water Standards. Locally, tunnel seepage water was enriched in dissolved Mn (avg. 0.70 mg L^− 1, max. 5.58 mg L^− 1), in addition to dissolved Fe, NH₄⁺, and pathogenic microbes, likely due to significant inflow of sewage water from broken or leaking sewer pipes.Geochemical modeling of redox reactions was conducted to simulate the characteristic hydrochemistry of subway tunnel seepage. The results show that variations in the reducing conditions occur in urban groundwater, dependent upon the amount of organic matter-rich municipal sewage contaminating the aquifer. The organic matter facilitates the reduction and dissolution of Mn- and Fe-bearing solids in aquifers and/or tunnel construction materials, resulting in the successive increase of dissolved Mn and Fe. The present study clearly demonstrates that locally significant deterioration of urban groundwater is caused by a series of interlinked hydrogeologic and hydrochemical changes induced by underground tunnels.     

One-dimensional model for biogeochemical interactions and permeability reduction in soils during leachate permeation

This paper uses the findings from a column study to develop a reactive model for exploring the interactions occurring in leachate-contaminated soils. The changes occurring in the concentrations of acetic acid, sulphate, suspended and attached biomass, Fe(II), Mn(II), calcium, carbonate ions, and pH in the column are assessed. The mathematical model considers geochemical equilibrium, kinetic biodegradation, precipitation-dissolution reactions, bacterial and substrate transport, and permeability reduction arising from bacterial growth and gas production. A two-step sequential operator splitting method is used to solve the coupled transport and biogeochemical reaction equations. The model gives satisfactory fits to experimental data and the simulations show that the transport of metals in soil is controlled by multiple competing biotic and abiotic reactions. These findings suggest that bioaccumulation and gas formation, compared to chemical precipitation, have a larger influence on hydraulic conductivity reduction.     

WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS IN AN URBAN POND: CLIMATIC OR ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT?1

ABSTRACT: In 1996, the Illinois State Geological Survey began an investigation of fluctuating water levels in a pond in Cary, Illinois. The cause of the fluctuations appeared to be ground water discharge into a storm sewer recently installed by the Illinois Department of Transportation. However, analysis of climatic data provided an equally likely explanation of the fluctuations. Distinguishing the effect of climatic variations from the effect of the storm sewer was hampered by the lack of antecedent ground water and surface water data. In similar settings, it is recommended that ground water and surface water data be collected prior to initiating any infrastructure improvements.     

INTEGRATION OF WATER QUALITY MODELING,REMOTE SENSING,AND GIS1

ABSTRACT: Water quality modeling has been developed for more than three quarters of a century, but is limited to the study of trends instead of making accurate short-term forecasts. A major barrier to water quality forecasting is the lack of an efficient system for water quality monitoring. Traditional water quality sampling is time-consuming, expensive, and can only be taken for small sizes. Remote sensing provides a new technique to monitor water quality repetitively for a large area. The objective of this research is to use remotely sensed data in a water quality model - QUAL2E - in a case study of the Te-Chi Reservoir in Taiwan. The water quality variables developed from the simulations are displayed in map form. The developed forecasting system is designed to predict water quality variables using remote sensing data as an input to initialize and update water quality conditions.     

环渤海区域风能资源WRF同化模拟及特征分析

利用WRF模式及其3DVAR同化模块,结合环渤海区域风能资源观测网测风塔观测数据,设计并构建了多种3DVAR 同化方案,用来提高环渤海区域风能资源数值模拟初始场质量。以2010 年4 月12 日至13 日一次大风过程为研究对象,利用该同化方案进行了一系列WRF数值模拟对比试验。选择较优的3DVAR同化方案对环渤海区域70 m高度风能资源进行了2009 年6 月1 日至2010 年5 月31 日一整年的数值模拟。模拟结果表明,较优的3DVAR同化方案能有效地改进区域风能资源数值模拟初始场质量,主要体现在模拟值与实测值更为接近,模拟效果得到显著改善。环渤海区域70 m高度年平均风速和年平均风功率密度呈现出南小北大的分布特征,渤海中部和北部风能较大,沿垂直于海岸线向内陆方向,风能参数急剧减小。     

基于EOS/MODIS资料的太湖藻类动态模拟

建立了太湖藻类生长的动态模型,并将其与水动力模型和水质模型相耦合,利用2001年7～8月太湖的实测资料对模型进行了率定。借助该模型,对2004年8月太湖水体中TN、TP的变化以及藻类生长过程进行了模拟。利用中分辨率成像光谱仪EOS/MODIS的数据对太湖叶绿素a浓度进行遥感定量,将遥感监测数据和模型计算结果进行了比较。结果表明:该模型可进行风生湖流、TN、TP的模拟,以叶绿素a浓度描述的藻类浓度的模拟值能较好地拟合遥感监测值,且遥感监测图和模型模拟图所反映的全太湖叶绿素浓度分布基本一致。最后根据遥感和模拟对太湖全区的藻类分布作了具体的分析。