Anchovy (Engraulis japonicus), a small pelagic fish and food of other economic fishes, is a key species in the Yellow Sea ecosystem. Understanding the mechanisms of its recruitment and biomass variation is important for the prediction and management of fishery resources. Coupled with a hydrodynamic model (POM) and a lower trophic level ecosystem model (NEMURO), an individual-based model of anchovy is developed to study the influence of physical environment on anchovy's biomass variation. Seasonal variations of circulation, water temperature and mix-layer depth from POM are used as external forcing for NEMURO and the anchovy model. Biomasses of large zooplankton and predatory zooplankton which anchovy feeds on are output from NEMURO and are controlled by the consumption of anchovy on them. Survival fitness theory related to temperature and food is used to determine the swimming action of anchovy in the model. The simulation results agree well with observations and elucidate the influence of temperature in over-wintering migration and food in feeding migration.
The diffusion boundary layer (DBL) significantly limits the exchange between sediment and overlying water and therefore becomes a bottleneck of diffusive vertical flux at the sediment-water interface (SWI). Variable DBL thickness and diffusion flux in response to dynamic forcing may influence replenishment of nutrients and secondary pollution in coastal waters. In situ measurements of velocity in the bottom boundary layer (BBL) and oxygen concentration in the DBL were made over an intertidal mudflat, using an acoustic Doppler current and mini profiler. A linear distributed zone in the oxygen profile, the profile slope discontinuity and variance of concentration can be used to derive accurate DBL thickness. Diffusion fluxes calculated from the water column and sediment are identical, and their bias is less than 6%. A numerical model PROFILE is used to simulate the in situ dissolved oxygen profile, and layered dissolved oxygen consumption rates in the sediment are calculated. The DBL thickness (0.10-0.35 mm) and diffusion flux (15.4-53.6 mmol m 2 d 1) vary with a factor of 3.5 during a tidal period. Over an intertidal mudflat, DBL thickness is controlled by flow speed U in the BBL, according to δDBL=1686.1DU 1+0.1 (D is the molecular diffusion coefficient). That is, the DBL thickness δDBL increases with decreasing flow speed U. Changes of diffusion flux at the SWI are caused by variations in the water above the sediment and the turbulent mixing intensity. The diffusion flux is positively related to the turbulent dissipation rate, friction velocity and turbulent energy. Under the influence of dynamics in the BBL, DBL thickness and flux vary significantly.
