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Floodplain Biocomplexity Modeling |
Researchers: Geoffrey C. Poole, Chris Bennett, Krista
L. Jones, Jack A. Stanford, Emily S. Bernhardt, William W. Woessner, John S. Kimball,
Diane C. Whited, F. Richard Hauer, and Mark S. Lorang.
Computer simulation modeling is a primary research tool in Systems
Ecology. RIFLS-2 (River and Interstitial Flow Simulator, version
2) is a model of floodplain hydrology, hydrogeology, and biocomplexity
that is currently under development at Eco-metrics, Inc. The
model is based on RIFLS, which resulted from Geoffrey Poole's
Ph.D. Dissertation and is described in three refereed scientific
papers. RIFLS was used to demonstrate the importance of
floodplain geomorphology and flow regulation on the magnitude, spatial
pattern, and timing of ground-water movement through floodplain
gravels, aquifer recharge by the river, and aquifer discharge to the
river. Model ouput can be converted to an animation to
visualize the dynamics of ground- and surface-water flow pathways.
RIFLS-2 will substantively extend the model's capabilities. The
model is being restructured using an "object oriented" approach.
This will improve the code's flexibility, speed, and compatibility with
other existing models to simulate additional ecosystem dynamics.
Further, a simulation of heat dynamics will be added to the model
calculations, enabling the model to estimate the water and heat budget
for the stream channel and alluvial aquifer combined. The model
will then be applied to study the influence of hyporheic flow on water
temperature, thermal diversity, and Pacific Salmon habitat in the
Umatilla River of northeastern Oregon, USA.
Using funding from a
grant provided by the National Science Foundation, RIFLS-2 will also be
expanded to simulate nutrient and vegetation dynamics, thereby allowing
researchers on the University of Montana's main campus and at its
biological field station to improve their understanding of the complex
interactions between geomorphology, hydrology, hydrogeology, vegetation
dynamics, and nutrient cycling in floodplain ecosystem. |
Research 
