Moderate Velocities Research Articles

Seasonal Diet and Habitat Use of Large, Introduced Rainbow Trout in an Ozark Highland Stream

AbstractStocking of Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykisscommonly provides seasonal or mitigation fisheries; however, these fish are usually small and ecosystem effects are spatially or temporally limited. Yet agencies receive requests to stock Rainbow Trout in relatively natural settings (i.e., not tailwater or mitigation fisheries), where introductions may have greater ecosystem consequences. The size of introduced fish is an important factor in determining biotic interactions with native species; therefore, our objectives were to assess the seasonal feeding ecology and microhabitat use of large (265–530 mm TL) nonnative Emmerson strain Rainbow Trout in a relatively unaltered, groundwater‐influenced, warmwater stream of the Ozark Highlands. Rainbow Trout consumed a variety of prey; however, diets differed between cool (winter and spring) and warm (summer) seasons. Cool‐season Rainbow Trout exhibited a mixed feeding strategy, with individual specialization on crayfishes and fishes and generalist feeding on Ephemeroptera and Diptera, but Gastropoda were the dominant prey. Feeding strategy in the warm season switched to individual specialization on numerous prey types. Overall, larger prey resources were important components of Rainbow Trout diets. Piscivory was relatively high in both seasons, and crayfishes were one of the most important prey types across seasons. Selection of coarse substrates and deeper‐water microhabitats (>0.95 m) was similar between seasons. Rainbow Trout selected the lowest‐velocity microhabitats available during the warm season and moderate velocities in the cool season. Rainbow Trout were five times more likely to be associated with cover in the warm season. Due to their higher temperature tolerance, Emmerson strain Rainbow Trout may persist in Ozark Highland streams, where they disrupt local food webs and occupy habitat otherwise selected by native fish, such as Neosho Smallmouth BassMicropterus dolomieu velox. If native species conservation is a priority for agencies, then caution regarding Rainbow Trout stockings may be warranted.

Evaluation of hetro-stacked target plate response toward different nose shaped projectile impact

Detailed experimental and numerical investigations were carried out for evaluating the dynamic response of the stacked target plates toward moderate (100–250 m/s) velocity projectile impact. A single stage gas gun was utilized to launch the hemispherical and the blunt projectile toward two different hetro-stacked configurations (Al-St and St-Al). A comprehensive experimental (high speed 3D-DIC) and numerical (FE) evaluation was conducted to obtain the transient and post-impact behavior of the target plates. Influence of different projectile shapes on the full-field transient deformation profiles of different stacking configurations was studied in detail. Also, typical perforation parameters like plug size, shape, and perforation hole diameters were carefully measured and analyzed. A comprehensive error measure was utilized to quantify the similarity between the experimental and simulation results, a very good agreement was observed.

Dew formation characteristics in the gravel desert ecosystem and its ecological roles on Reaumuria soongorica

As an additional source of water to plants besides rainfall, dew may have a positive impact on vegetation in the arid ecosystems. Knowledge regarding dew formation characteristics and its ecological effects on vegetation water status and photosynthetic performance in the gravel desert ecosystem is still lacking. In this study, the dew variability and formation frequency on a gravel desert were measured by microlysimeters. We quantified dew formation characteristics, investigated vegetation water response to dew events in the gravel desert ecosystem at the edge of a desert oasis, Northwestern China. The results showed water adsorption was a primary pathway of dew formation in such system, and the average daily amount of dew is 0.06 mm. Dew occurred on 36% of growing season days, the number of days with dew amounts >0.03 mm accounted for 82% of the total dew events, and the cumulative amount of dew for those days was 3.41 mm. Relative humidity, air temperature, wind speed, the difference between air temperature and soil surface temperature had significant effects on dew formation. A threshold of RH ≥30% is taken to mark possible condensation in the gravel desert ecosystem. A significant positive correlation between dew amounts and the relative moisture in the near-surface air was found when RH ≥30%. The moderate wind velocity (1–1.8 m/s) was favorable to dew formation, and when wind speed >5.47 m/s, there was no dew formation. Because of the water-absorbing scales on the leaves of Reaumuria soongorica, dew events significantly improved their relative water content, water potential, and photosynthetic performance in the early morning and ameliorating the adverse effects of plants exposed to prolonged drought. The study highlights dew is an important supplementary source of water in the gravel desert ecosystem. Although the absolute dew amounts were found not high, it can be a frequent and stable water resource. Furthermore, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the effects of dew on plant water status in the gravel desert ecosystem.

Analysis on gas dynamic effects and design of supersonic ORC stator nozzles for transcritical expansions

Organic Rankine Cycles can reach high efficiency by using transcritical cycles, where the fluid expansion starts in the supercritical region and ends in the superheated vapor region. When molecularly complex fluids are used, their gas dynamic behavior differs significantly from that of expanding ideal gases, and their low speed of sound results in supersonic conditions even with moderate flow velocities. In this study, gas dynamic effects and supersonic nozzle designs for turbines are investigated. Isentropic expansions in conditions near the critical point are considered for different working fluids at varying nozzle inlet total conditions. The reduced total pressure is varied in the range 0.8 to 1.5 and the reduced total temperature in the range 0.95 to 1.20. The fluid and operating conditions have significant effect on the gas dynamic behavior and characteristics of the expansion, as well as on the resulting size of supersonic nozzles. The most significant non-ideal behavior was observed with siloxanes MDM and MM, and hydrocarbons toluene and cyclohexane. The variations in thermodynamic properties along the expansions were observed to be significantly large, especially if the expansions start from the supercritical region. Correspondingly, remarkable variations in the required passage areas and nozzle length were observed.

Identification of the General Anesthesia Induced Loss of Consciousness by EEG Spectrum Analysis

Organic Rankine Cycles can reach high efficiency by using transcritical cycles, where the fluid expansion starts in the supercritical region and ends in the superheated vapor region. When molecularly complex fluids are used, their gas dynamic behavior differs significantly from that of expanding ideal gases, and their low speed of sound results in supersonic conditions even with moderate flow velocities. In this study, gas dynamic effects and supersonic nozzle designs for turbines are investigated. Isentropic expansions in conditions near the critical point are considered for different working fluids at varying nozzle inlet total conditions. The reduced total pressure is varied in the range 0.8 to 1.5 and the reduced total temperature in the range 0.95 to 1.20. The fluid and operating conditions have significant effect on the gas dynamic behavior and characteristics of the expansion, as well as on the resulting size of supersonic nozzles. The most significant non-ideal behavior was observed with siloxanes MDM and MM, and hydrocarbons toluene and cyclohexane. The variations in thermodynamic properties along the expansions were observed to be significantly large, especially if the expansions start from the supercritical region. Correspondingly, remarkable variations in the required passage areas and nozzle length were observed.

Calibration and data reduction for X-hotwires using cross validation

A strategy for calibration of X-wire probes and data inversion is described in this article. The approach used has elements of full velocity vs yaw-angle calibration with robust curve fitting. The responses of an X-wire probe placed in a calibration jet are recorded for a set of velocity and yaw inputs followed by fitting cross-validated splines. These spline functions trained from calibration data are evaluated for the probe responses during measurement. X-wire probes are calibrated for low to moderate velocities (0.65 m/s to 32 m/s) and yaw angles in the range −40° to 40° and comparisons with conventional interpolation schemes are made. The proposed algorithm can be extended to calibration of other multiple wire probes and for higher velocities. Some measurements in a single round turbulent jet flow at high Reynolds number using the proposed inversion algorithm are also presented. The present scheme is found to perform better particularly at low flow magnitudes and/or extreme flow angles than the schemes used previously.

Mouthwash to defeat COVID-19? –An update

Dental experts work closely with patients and present an expanded danger of individual to-individual transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Also, the utilization of ultrasonic scalers, air-water needles, and moderate and high velocity airoter handpieces, which are regular in the dental office, produce splash and aerosols. The utilization of preprocedural mouthrinses has been proposed to lessen the viral burden in saliva and oropharyngeal tissues, consequently diminishing viral burden in dental aerosols. Although some mouthrinses exhibit an antiviral impact, there is restricted proof about the clinical adequacy of any mouthrinse in the decrease of SARS-CoV-2 in the dental aerosols. Keywords: Covid­ 19, SARS CoV­2, Mouthwash, Preprocedure, Aerosol, Antimicrobial Mouthrinse, Mucormycosis.

Simulating the storm environment responsible for Nepal's first observed tornado

A high-resolution numerical forecast model was used to simulate the meteorological conditions leading up to the March 31st, 2019 severe weather event that produced Nepal's first-ever observed tornado. The sparse meteorologic observations in the region capturing the storm environment limit the ability to anticipate another similar situation should the particular set of conditions present themselves again. This study presents a multifaced view of the storm environment through 1) a synoptic perspective provided by the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) reanalysis dataset and 2) a trio of progressively higher resolution one-way nested simulations (12 km–4km–1km) driven by GDAS boundary conditions to more closely examine the storm-scale environment. GDAS data and numerical simulations revealed moderately strong instability throughout the region with CAPE values between 1000 and 2000 J kg−1 K−1 and lifted index values between −4 and −7. Vertical wind profiles featuring little directional shear and moderate velocity shear yielded shear-based convective indices that suggested slight potential for rotating supercell thunderstorms. Within this environment, the 1-km simulation produced strong, rotating convection in nearly the same location and at nearly the same time as the observed tornadic storm. Lastly, an assessment of the limited number of observed historical tornadic events in the region showed that with amply convective available potential energy, the 2019 Nepal tornado environment stood out for the limited vertical directional wind shear present.

Aitken mode particles as CCN in aerosol- and updraft-sensitive regimes of cloud droplet formation

Abstract. The high variability of aerosol particle concentrations, sizes and chemical composition makes their description challenging in atmospheric models. Aerosol–cloud interaction studies are usually focused on the activation of accumulation mode particles as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). However, under specific conditions Aitken mode particles can also contribute to the number concentration of cloud droplets (Nd), leading to large uncertainties in predicted cloud properties on a global scale. We perform sensitivity studies with an adiabatic cloud parcel model to constrain conditions under which Aitken mode particles contribute to Nd. The simulations cover wide ranges of aerosol properties, such as total particle number concentration, hygroscopicity (κ) and mode diameters for accumulation and Aitken mode particles. Building upon the previously suggested concept of updraft (w)- and aerosol-limited regimes of cloud droplet formation, we show that activation of Aitken mode particles does not occur in w-limited regimes of accumulation mode particles. The transitional range between the regimes is broadened when Aitken mode particles contribute to Nd, as aerosol limitation requires much higher w than for aerosol size distributions with accumulation mode particles only. In the transitional regime, Nd is similarly dependent on w and κ. Therefore, we analyze the sensitivity of Nd to κ, ξ(κ), as a function of w to identify the value combinations above which Aitken mode particles can affect Nd. As ξ(κ) shows a minimum when the smallest activated particle size is in the range of the “Hoppel minimum” (0.06 µm ≤ Dmin ≤0.08 µm), the corresponding (w–κ) pairs can be considered a threshold level above which Aitken mode particles have significant impact on Nd. This threshold is largely determined by the number concentration of accumulation mode particles and by the Aitken mode diameter. Our analysis of these thresholds results in a simple parametric framework and criterion to identify aerosol and updraft conditions under which Aitken mode particles are expected to affect aerosol–cloud interactions. Our results confirm that Aitken mode particles likely do not contribute to Nd in polluted air masses (urban, biomass burning) at moderate updraft velocities (w≤3 m s−1) but may be important in deep convective clouds. Under clean conditions, such as in the Amazon, the Arctic and remote ocean regions, hygroscopic Aitken mode particles can act as CCN at updrafts of w<1 m s−1.

Field Tests on a Full-Scale Steel Chimney Subjected to Vortex-Induced Vibrations

Industrial chimneys, launch vehicles and stacks are examples of large diameter circular cross section structures that can be prone to cross-wind vortex-induced vibration (VIV). VIV has been extensively studied for both fundamental and applied issues, but few documented studies concern high Reynolds number regimes (> 5 × 105) in atmospheric turbulent wind. This paper introduces a field test on a slender light and low damped chimney designed to experience “super-critical” VIV at moderate wind velocity. The chimney was recently erected in a wind monitored field, near the Atlantic coast of France. The purpose of this paper is to present the first vibration results obtained during a sequential 13-day period in September 2020. A statistical analysis has been performed on the amplitude and dominant frequency responses and results are reported in term of probability distribution as a function of wind speed and direction. VIV events of low (<15% of diameter) to moderate amplitude (>30% of diameter) have been highlighted in a range of wind velocity 25% lower than expected, along with significant influence of the wind direction – low turbulence easterly wind giving vortex-induced vibrations with the highest amplitude.

Moving Target Shadow Analysis and Detection for ViSAR Imagery

The video synthetic aperture radar (ViSAR) is a new application in radar techniques. ViSAR provides high- or moderate-resolution SAR images with a faster frame rate, which permits the detection of the dynamic changes in the interested area. A moving target with moderate velocity can be detected by shadow detection in ViSAR. This paper analyses the frame rate and the shadow feature, discusses the velocity limitation of ViSAR moving target shadow detection and quantitatively gives the expression of velocity limitation. Furthermore, a fast factorized back projection (FFBP) based SAR video formation method and a shadow-based ground moving target detection method are proposed to generate SAR videos and detect the moving target shadow. The experimental results with simulated data prove the validity and feasibility of the proposed quantitative analysis and the proposed methods.

High-resolution numerical survey of potential sites for tidal energy extraction along coastline of China under sea-level-rise condition

Many coastal countries are concerned with sustainable energy generation to meet their current and future energy needs. Tidal energy is an attractive resource as in-stream turbines can generate electricity even at moderate flow velocities. However, not all coastal areas are equally well-suited for tidal energy development. The survey of potential locations and their power densities is a crucial step in evaluating the potential cost-benefit of tidal energy. This research surveys the intensity and distribution of offshore tidal energy along whole coastline of China based on a high-resolution numerical simulation with a minimum mesh spacing of 80 m. The Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) has been used to carry out the numerical simulation work. Since FVCOM uses an unstructured mesh, it can accurately identify complex coastlines, such as those along islands, waterways, and estuaries. The simulation period for this numerical survey is 30 days. The accuracy of the simulation results is validated using 8-days in-situ measurements obtained at 17 coastal stations in the region of study. Research results indicate that the total mean tidal energy is 1.19 × 1014 J along the coastline of China. The tidal energy is mainly distributed in the south and southeast of the coastline of China. This study also identifies 45, 23 and 9 top sites, where the averaged tidal energy density is greater than 500, 1000, and 1500 W/m2, respectively, suitable for tidal energy extraction and utilization. Considering the long development cycle of tidal energy and global climate change, this study also investigates the impact of sea-level rise (SLR) on tidal energy distribution in the region of study using a 50-year (0.5 m) and 100-year (1.0 m) SLR scenarios. It is found that the total mean tidal energy increases by 3.0% and 6.5% for 50-year and 100-year SLR scenarios, respectively. It is believed that the findings drawn from this study could be instructive for future utilization of tidal energy along the coastline of China.

Acoustic Properties of Musanga Cecrepoides Wood Samples Obtained from Different Stem Positions in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Musanga cecrepoides is an interesting wood species due to its diverse utility ranging from medicine, shade, ornaments etc. Research has been conducted on other prop-erties of this wood species with little information about its acoustic properties. Thus, the evaluation of its acoustic properties is pertinent so as to increase the in-formation bank of its properties. This study assessed the acoustic properties of Musanga cecrepoides wood obtained from selected states and locations in the Niger Delta region of Nigerian viz a vis, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States. Test samples were collected from different stem positions axially (top, middle, base) and radi-ally (inner and outer) and analyzed using the statistical software package IBM SPSS Statistics, Version 23 (IBM Corporation, New York, USA). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed at 5% level of significance to determine whether the as-sessed acoustic properties were significantly different among different stem posi-tions. Results showed that sound frequency (f) at top wood (3061.71 Hz) and outer wood (3096.06 Hz) had significantly higher resonance frequency compared with the bottom wood (2768.01 Hz) and inner wood (2349.54 Hz) respectively. The mean sound velocity (v) at both the axial (2069.59 m/s) and radial (1905.96 m/s) stem po-sitions fell short of the estimated mean v of other wood species when compared. However, such result is suitable for other acoustic purposes with moderate sound velocity. The sound radiation coefficient (R) values was highest at the bottom (4.18) axially and outer (4.13) radially when compared to other stem orientations of the wood. Whereas axially at the top (1561815.86 Kg/(m2s)) and radially at the outer position (1558292.53 Kg/(m2s) Sound Impedance (z) was highest when compared with other stem positions of the Musanga cecrepoides wood.

Rupture Kinematics of the 11 January 2021 Mw 6.7 Hovsgol, Mongolia, Earthquake and Implications in the Western Baikal Rift Zone

AbstractThe Mongolia plateau is the farthest intracontinental region of the India–Eurasia collision and is a transition zone between north–south convergence to the south in the Tien Shan and northwest–southeast extension to the north in the Baikal rift. Mongolia has experienced four M 8 earthquakes since 1905, but due to limited observations, the mechanism of these strong earthquakes and regional tectonics are poorly understood. The 11 January 2021 Mw 6.7 Hovsgol, Mongolia, earthquake is the largest event that has occurred in the Hovsgol graben, which is noted for being the northernmost convergence region of the India–Eurasia collision and the youngest extension region of the Baikal rift. In this article, the coseismic displacements are retrieved by space geodesy for the first time in this region, providing good constraints for the deformation pattern. We use a finite-fault inversion of InSAR and teleseismic data, and a backprojection analysis to reveal the rupture kinematics of this event. The geometry of the Hovsgol fault is determined as east-dipping with a dip of 45°. The rupture process is characterized by a northwestward propagation with a moderate average rupture velocity of ∼2.0 km/s and a complex slip pattern composed of two major slip patches with dimensions of 40 km×20 km. The oblique slip, illustrated by predominate extension and significant dextral striking, confirms the right-lateral-striking faulting in the Hovsgol rift, which indicates that the eastwardly north–south convergence across the southwest segment of the Baikal rift has decreased.

Functional dynamics of vegetated model patches: The minimum patch size effect for canopy restoration

For the past two centuries coastal zones have been suffering seagrass loss resulting in a network of vegetated patches which are barely interconnected and which may compromise the ecological services provided by the canopy. To optimize management efforts for successful restoration strategies, questions need to be addressed about what appropriate canopy architectural considerations are required under certain hydrodynamic conditions. In this study, a set of laboratory experiments were conducted in which hydrodynamic conditions, plant densities and vegetated patch lengths were varied to determine minimum patch lengths for successful management strategies. Based on the TKE production, this study finds two possible canopy behaviours of seagrasses under oscillating flows: one where plants do not interact with the flow and the other where they interact with waves and produce TKE. A threshold from the first to second behaviour occurs for CD−Patchnd221−ϕ13Uw = 2, where CD is the drag of the vegetated patch, n is the number of stems per m2, d is the stem diameter and ϕ is the solid plant fraction. Therefore, high canopy densities, large patches of vegetation or moderate wave velocities will produce plant-wave interaction, whereas low canopy densities, small vegetation patches or slow wave velocities will produce a behaviour akin to the non-vegetated cases.

A novel dry gravity separation method for cleaner production of fine sized iron ore concentrate

ABSTRACT Though wet beneficiation technologies for iron ore are well established, owing to issue like disposal of reject as slurry, the development of dry beneficiation technology is being felt by the concerned Industries. A bench-scale dry gravity separator is fabricated, and detailed experimental studies were carried out to evaluate its performance. This study considered three experimental parameters: superficial air velocity, feed rate, deck inclination. Mathematical formulation results corroborated with experimental response indicate that moderate superficial air velocity, low feed rate, and high inclination angle are favourable conditions for enhancing product Fe content. Further experiments were carried out in multiple stages. It is noted that the fabricated unit can produce the sinter grade concentrate (63.5% Fe) with a mass recovery of 22.7% from iron ore 1 and 24.9% from iron ore 2. The performance of the fabricated dry processing unit is compared with the wet processing unit.

The Synergic Role of Actomyosin Architecture and Biased Detachment in Muscle Energetics: Insights in Cross Bridge Mechanism beyond the Lever-Arm Swing

Muscle energetics reflects the ability of myosin motors to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. How this process takes place remains one of the most elusive questions in the field. Here, we combined experimental measurements of in vitro sliding velocity based on DNA-origami built filaments carrying myosins with different lever arm length and Monte Carlo simulations based on a model which accounts for three basic components: (i) the geometrical hindrance, (ii) the mechano-sensing mechanism, and (iii) the biased kinetics for stretched or compressed motors. The model simulations showed that the geometrical hindrance due to acto-myosin spatial mismatching and the preferential detachment of compressed motors are synergic in generating the rapid increase in the ATP-ase rate from isometric to moderate velocities of contraction, thus acting as an energy-conservation strategy in muscle contraction. The velocity measurements on a DNA-origami filament that preserves the motors’ distribution showed that geometrical hindrance and biased detachment generate a non-zero sliding velocity even without rotation of the myosin lever-arm, which is widely recognized as the basic event in muscle contraction. Because biased detachment is a mechanism for the rectification of thermal fluctuations, in the Brownian-ratchet framework, we predict that it requires a non-negligible amount of energy to preserve the second law of thermodynamics. Taken together, our theoretical and experimental results elucidate less considered components in the chemo-mechanical energy transduction in muscle.

Analysis of the Thermal Behavior of a New Structure of Protected Agriculture Established in a Region of Tropical Climate Conditions

Determining airflow patterns and their effect on the distribution of microclimate variables such as temperature is one of the most important activities in naturally ventilated protected agricultural structures. In tropical countries, this information is used by farmers and decision makers when defining climate management strategies and for crop-specific cultural work. The objective of this research was to implement a validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model in 3D to determine the aerodynamic and thermal behavior of a new protected agricultural structure established in a warm climate region in the Dominican Republic. The numerical evaluation of the structure was carried out for the hours of the daytime period (6–17 h), the results found allowed to define that the CFD model generates satisfactory predictions of the variables evaluated. Additionally, it was found that airflow patterns are strongly affected by the presence of porous insect screens, which generate moderate velocity flows (&lt;0.73 m s−1) inside the structure. It was also identified that the value of the average temperature inside the structure is directly related to the air flows, the level of radiation and the temperature of the outside environment.

How fast is too fast? Water velocity differentially affects growth of four Gila River, native cyprinids

AbstractUnderstanding trade‐offs associated with occupying various aquatic habitats provides a mechanistic understanding of habitat needs that can be used to evaluate the consequences of habitat loss or alteration. We used instream enclosures and field observations to identify how velocity affects the growth rates of four native species in the upper Gila River basin: longfin dace (Agosia chrysogaster) and speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), two species of no conservation concern, and loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis) and spikedace (Meda fulgida), two federally endangered species. Elevated velocity was predicted to increase food delivery through drift or stimulation of benthic primary production. Energetic costs of high‐velocity habitat were predicted to vary with morphology and behaviour and be lowest for speckled dace and loach minnow because they are adapted to occupy interstitial spaces of the substrate in riffles. Spikedace and longfin dace should perform best in moderate velocities, where the trade‐off between exposure to drifting macroinvertebrates outweighs the energetic costs of maintaining position in the water column. Growth rates of loach minnow and speckled dace increased in higher velocities, but contrary to our initial predictions, spikedace growth rates also increased in high‐velocity habitats while longfin dace grew fastest in low‐velocity habitats; similar to the locations these species occupied based on field observations. These results indicate that for spikedace, the increased abundance of drifting macroinvetebrates in high‐velocity habitats outweighs the energy expenditure, but for longfin dace the energetic costs of occupying moderate to high‐velocity habitats outweigh the benefit to increased food availability. Our experiment provides a mechanistic understanding of habitat requirements across species and may inform predictions on how modifications or restoration of riverine ecosystems influence native fish diversity.

Assessment of marine energy-biotopes for Cozumel Island's reefs: A resource for tourism and renewable ocean energy

In general, ocean energy refers to renewable energy for human consumption, but less often relates to conservation and environmental protection. Within this context, this study describes and investigates energy-biotopes as a new concept, based on energy features, to use as a relevant resource for reefs conservation, marine-based tourism, and the harvesting of renewable ocean energy for Cozumel Island. Cluster analyses and linear trend models indicate an energy-tourism-economy connection with a similarity >90% and a correlation >0.976 between tourist arrivals, total revenue (US$ 161.74), and electric energy consumption (~64.62 Wh), per tourist. Moreover, field measurements of ocean current velocities (U) were conducted to assess the spatial distribution of kinetic energy density (ED) over the western coast of Cozumel Island. These results were compared with information obtained from prior studies on reef cover, benthic distribution, and tourism activities to identify the environment-energy-tourism relationship. Results indicate that marine biotopes with low and intermediate energy values (ED < 60 J/m3, U < 0.34 m/s) correlate with reef structures that are highly attractive for tourism and with moderate flow velocities for drift-diving, which represents the basis of tourism and the primary source of income for Cozumel Island. In contrast, high-energy biotopes (ED > 250 J/m3, U < 0.70 m/s) may contribute to meeting energy demands through the use of marine energy and the resulting increase in tourism and economic development in the area. However, the effects on marine organisms that are not typically attractive for tourists, but are of ecological significance, should be considered. Environmental habitats and electric energy demands are discussed regarding the local economy, which supports a floating population of 4.10 million people and where the reef environment plays an essential role both as part of the marine landscape and in the formation of globally unique energy-biotopes.