Patent ID: 6160759
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: A01K,G01V,Y02A

Abstract:
Method for determining the probable response of aquatic species to selected components of water flow fields, the method comprising the steps of:obtaining data for identifying and quantitatively describing travel behavior of real fish constituting members of a selected aquatic species in a flow field;determining passive transport trajectories of members of the aquatic species using data on the flow field to establish a basis from which to determine swim path selections;determining postulated behavioral responses of members of the aquatic species to at least one of hydraulic and acoustic stimuli using statistical rules;utilizing said travel behavior data of real fish in the flow field, said passive transport trajectories of real fish in the flow field, and said postulated behavior responses of real fish to stimuli, developing a computer program adapted to predict swim path selections by the real fish, such predictions being manifested in the form of virtual fish;obtaining data on at least one selected hydraulic flow field component, to generate a virtual hydraulic flow field;generating a simulative application of a multiplicity of virtual fish to the virtual hydraulic flow field, and tracking and monitoring the virtual fish through the virtual flow field; andsummarizing results as to the numbers of the virtual fish entering and exiting through specific locations of the virtual flow field;whereby to determine the probable response of real fish to the selected components of a real hydraulic flow field.