Algorithms for Visualizing Wave Impact on Mussel Beds

Abstract

Mussel beds are self-organizing ecosystems which create spatial patterns based on interactions between organisms and the environment. The self-organized patterns in mussel beds improve overall food distribution as well as help in bed stability. One mathematical model creates lifelike mussel beds through moving each mussel individually by observing local densities. The tendency of a mussel to move decreases with a short-range density and increases with a long-range one. Another model can be used to predict the weak parts of a given mussel structure by solving a maximum flow problem. Using an existing max-flow algorithm, the model can efficiently evaluate a formula, which assesses each mussel around a designated wave area for dislodgement. When applied to a broader region, the algorithm is quickened by the use of arrangements and back flow, which, instead of recomputing the maximum flow, makes small adjustments to the maximum flow between faces of the arrangement. We made an application that combines the two models to visualize the impacts of waves by mapping the impact strengths to colored surfaces. The application allows the user to make mussel beds with manual placements or utilization of the individual-based movement model. The colormaps can be constructed with varying factors, such as wave orientation and mussel density.