System Dynamic Modeling of Reef Pests & Treatments

[MechEng99]

Hi all,

I'm an engineering grad student and reef junkie, so I've decided to combine worlds in one of my final projects. I'm attempting to model the life cycle of various reef pests and how different treatments affect each one. Of course, knowledge of many of these pests is limited, but I think this project will help point out flaws in some treatment protocol and point others in the direction where we need more research.

My model is mostly complete for Acropora-eating Flatworms, Montipora-eating Nudibranchs, and Red Planaria. I plan to include red bugs, zoanthid spiders (if I can find enough info on them), and whatever else is suggested.

I'm planning to include Coral Rx, Bayer Insecticide, Salifert Flatworm Exit, Lugol's Iodine, Potassium Permanganate, Levamisole, and whatever else is suggested for treatments.

With the program, the user will select a pest and a treatment, and the program will return the likelihood of the pest returning after so many treatments (if at all.)

Is anyone interested in this enough for me to post my assumptions and help correct any data that might be out-of-date?

 

[Lavoisier]

Sure.

 

[MechEng99]

You rock! (and I love the quote in your sig)

I'll start with Acropora-Eating Flatworms. Please feel free to correct/add/whatever to my information. I have sources on all these, but they may be outdated/incorrect. The parameters I'm unsure of are in red.

- Eggs: 3-7 embryos per capsule (assuming 5 on average for ease of modeling)
- Capsules: 20-26 eggs capsules (assuming 23 on average for ease of modeling)
- Eggs take 21 days to develop
- Takes ??? days from hatching to reproductive adult? I assumed 7 days.
- Lifespan of an adult is 105 days (assumed this from other similar flatworm species)
- Takes a male and a female to reproduce (asexual reproduction?)
- Eggs have a 50% mortality/fertilization rate
- Adults can reproduce every 1 day
- Adults eat ??? Acropora corals each in a day.

 

[MechEng99]

Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs:

First off...assuming Embletonia gracilis?
Can we assume Embletonia reproduces like Phestilla?

 

[slapshot]

Nice and actual worth while. Best of luck!!

 

[MechEng99]

Here is a small snapshot of the Monti-eating nudi section with no treatments applied (working on those).

 

[Fragasaurus]

I think this is a great project and worth the effort to help rid these pests.

 

[MechEng99]

Thanks...just wish there was more information out there! It's coming along, but I've run into a few bumps with the program (AEFW eggs go to infinity...that's a scary thought...thankfully it's just a programming issue!) I'm also having difficulty adding multiple treatments (the program tends to pick one or nothing.)

Anyway, I'll be spending this upcoming weekend working out the bugs. If anyone wants to review my assumptions...feel free!!