Prediction of Glossosoma biomass spatial distribution in Valley Creek by field measurements and a three‐dimensional turbulent open‐channel flow model

Abstract

AbstractThe fluid flow environment associated with high Glossosoma abundance is predicted by large‐eddy simulation of a natural turbulent open‐channel flow. The spatial distribution of Glossosoma was depicted by high resolution physical variables described by fluid flow and streambed topography. Variogram analysis of the streambed topography revealed a characteristic length scale of the streambed of the order 0.2 m over which bed roughness height was correlated. Flow simulation output was spatially and temporally averaged over the streambed characteristic length scale and linked to Glossosoma spatial density. A dimensionless scaling relationship between Glossosoma spatial distribution and streamwise velocity averaged in the longitudinal and transverse direction, spatial velocity fluctuation, and spanwise vorticity from the computational fluid dynamics simulation output explained 79% of the variation in observed dimensionless Glossosoma spatial density. The analysis demonstrated that computational fluid mechanics and high resolution bed topography could be instrumental in predicting benthic macroinvertebrate spatial distribution in streams and rivers.