Mathematical model of primary food web energetics in Howe Sound, British Columbia
department or school: Science, Faculty of
department or school: Zoology, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Buchanan, Douglas Bruce
issued: 2010-02-09T18:16:42Z
issued: 1976
related degree: Master of Science - MSc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Same of the philosophical aspects of modelling are discussed along with the importance of understanding primary marine food-web components. Howe Sound, a coastal embayment on the British Columbia coast, is examined as a base study area, and field sampling methods as well as laboratory techniques are summarized. The main body of the investigation involves the development of a mathematical description of phytoplankton population growth and distribution as a function of biological and physical circulation parameters in the sound. This is accomplished by dividing the sound into zones and modelling primary productivity as a result of certain key environmental forcing functions. Transport between zones is shown to affect spatial timing and distribution. Observed and predicted values of nutrients, temperature, extinction coefficients, zooplankton biomass, and phytoplankton productivity and biomass are compared as the model is refined. It is then used to simulate the effects of a delayed spring on productivity in Howe Sound, as well as to model growth in Indian /Arm, an adjacent embayment. Simulated annual productivity in Have Sound is 235, 316 and 384 gC‧m⁻²‧yr⁻¹ in the down inlet direction for the three model zones. With a delayed spring the values are reduced to 200, 308 and gC‧m⁻²‧yr⁻¹ and comparisons are made with observed data in Howe Sound in 1974 when poor spring weather conditions prevailed. In Indian Arm the model predicts a spatial productivity distribution of 318, 256 and 239 gC‧m⁻²‧yr⁻¹, values which agree with field observations of two workers. The general applicability of such models to complex ecosystems is discussed.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/19925
note: A MATHFJYS7ATICAL MODEL OF PRIMARY FOOD WEB ENERGETICS IN HOWE SOUND, BRITISH COLUMBIA. B.SC. UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1974 A THESIS SUBT4ITTED IN PARTIAL FUIFIIJMEMT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY WE ACCEPT THIS THESIS AS CONFORMING TO THE REQUIRED STANDARD THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MAY 1976 (c) DOUGLAS BRUCE BUCHANAN, 1976. by DOUGLAS BRUCE BUCHANAN MASTER OF SCIENCE IN In presenting th i s thesis in pa r t i a l fu l f i lment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the Un ivers i ty of B r i t i s h Columbia, I agree that the L ibrary sha l l make it f ree l y ava i l ab le for reference and study. I fur ther agree that permission for extensive copying of th i s thes i s for scho lar ly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his representat ives. It is understood that copying or pub l i ca t ion of th is thes is fo r f i nanc ia l gain sha l l not be allowed without my wr i t ten permission. Depa rtment The Univers i ty of B r i t i s h Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T 1W5 i i 7 A B S T R A C T Same of the philosophical aspects of modelling are discussed along with the importance of understanding primary marine food-web components. Howe Sound, a coastal embayment on the British Columbia coast, i s ex-amined as a base study area, and f i e l d sampling methods as well as lab-oratory techniques are summarized. The main body of the investigation involves the development of a mathematical description of phytoplankton> population growth and distribution as a function of biological and phys-i c a l circulation parameters i n the sound. This i s accomplished by divid-ing the sound into zones and modelling primary productivity as a result of certain key environmental forcing functions. Transport between zones i s shewn to affect spatial timing and distribution. Observed and predicted values of nutrients, temperature, extinction coefficients, zooplankt…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
spatial: Howe Sound (B.C.)
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0100134
language: eng
degree discipline: Zoology
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/19925