The effect of unsteady turbulent flows on mass transfer in aquatic environments

拟议的研究计划的目标是研究质量传输的作用，基本的地球化学和生态过程中使用的实验，现场和计算方法相结合。具体而言，我将研究湍流对营养吸收，悬浮物喂养/颗粒命运，和颗粒通量发生在底栖生物（沉积物，水生植物，双壳类）的水生系统的影响。在这样做的时候，我将检查的作用，不稳定的流动-包括流体结构的相互作用，导致生物体振荡-除了这些过程中的平均流量条件的影响。我的具体目标是调查/确定：（1）流体-水生植物的相互作用，以及植物运动如何通过将溶解的无机碳运输和吸收到营养吸收发生的叶表面来影响水生植物的生产力;（2）颗粒的命运（包括生物性的）通过以悬浮物为食的淡水贻贝的河床迁移;（3）收集器运动对粒子捕获的影响，这是一种基本的质量传输机制。这些目标的实现直接关系到更好地了解水环境的生产力和功能。

The objectives of the proposed research program are to examine the role of mass transport on fundamental biogeochemical and ecological processes using a combination of experimental, field, and computational approaches. Specifically, I will examine the influence of turbulence on nutrient uptake, suspension feeding/particle fate, and particle flux that occur in the benthos (sediments, macrophytes, bivalves) of aquatic systems. In doing so, I will examine the role of unsteady flow – including the fluid-structure interactions that cause organisms to oscillate – in addition to the influence of mean flow conditions on these processes. My specific objectives are to investigate/determine the: (1) fluid-macrophyte interactions and how turbulence-induced plant movements affect macrophyte productivity through the transport and uptake of dissolved inorganic carbon to the leaf surface where nutrient uptake occurs; (2) fate of particles (including biological ones) transported through beds of suspension feeding freshwater mussels; and (3) the effect of collector motion on particle capture, which is an essential mass transport mechanism. The fulfillment of these objectives relates directly to a better understanding of the productivity and function of aquatic environments.