Fish dispersal modelling and GIS

[David Nettleton]

Hello,

 

Here at York University (England) we are currently working on an individual based model of fish larval dispersal running under behavioural and ecological constraints.  I am trying to figure out how to integrate the model to GIS and hopefully generate a model of tidal and oceanic current movements outside or inside the GIS as a source of environmental information and forcing for the dispersal model.  I am very interested if anyone may have used swarm methods or any agent-based modelling with fish or even plankton being affected by currents or insects in wind maybe, do you think swarm may be a good base for building models of currents and wind, with agents moving around in this mobile environment??
I also would be interested in the code you use to handle data between models and data from ArcGIS grids so deploying Arc/Info or ArcView as a 'data file manager' and display tool.  How much work exactly would you envisage GIS doing where flow could be modelled?
 
Our fish will be growing over a 1 month period, developing from a passively dispersed propagule into a seeing, hearing and smelling fish with preferences to where it will settle, and a strong swimming ability.
 
If anyone has any opinions on this I look forward to hearing your reply, also if anyone knows of any relevant reading material I would be very grateful for the details.

 

kind regards

 

Dave Nettleton