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Overview
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 Numerical models are simplified representations of natural processes that are represented by a set of mathematical equations. They are used to describe natural processes and to address fundamental questions on the way the world operates and allow scientist to address “what if” questions.
The Scottish Marine Institute has a large numerical modelling capability, from physical models such as hydrodynamic models, through to geochemical models and ecological models such as single species and population models to ecosystem models, bioeconomic models and fisheries related models.
Our modelling capability is distributed throughout the Institute in all academic departments: Physics, Geochemistry, Microbial and Molecular Biology and Ecology. It also contributes to the science undertaken in all four of our research themes: marine renewables (hydrodynamic and food web modelling), people and the sea (food web models, fisheries, population ecology, bioeconomics etc.), dynamic oceans (geochemistry, population ecology), and Arctic seas (microbial ecology). It also contributes to the outputs from various research centres, e.g. the Centre for Industrial Ocean Impacts (hydrodynamic models of impacted sites) and the Centre for Coastal and Ocean Governance.
Various aspects of modelling are taught at the Scottish Marine Institute in the BSc (Hons) Marine Science honours year 'Modelling' module, as part of the third year 'Fisheries Ecology' module, and as part of our MRes and short courses.
For specialist information, please contact the listed researchers or for more general inquiries Dr Sheila Heymans. For commercial inquiries please contact our marketing manager, Dr Keri Page.
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Physics
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Physical modelling at SAMS includes the work by Andy Dale, Dmitry Aleynik, Vladimir Ivanov and Mark Inall. A major emphasis is the development of models that address the particular challenges of the west coast of Scotland, but we also work in environments from the deep ocean to the Arctic.
- Dr Andy Dale is a physical oceanographer who combines observational and modelling approaches – looking at internal waves, gravity currents, eddies and turbulence to understand horizontal dispersion in the deep ocean of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge as well as coastal dynamics in waters off western Scotland. Andy's student Chris Bell studies methods of sub-gridscale parameterisations and the cascades of energy between scales in the oceans.
- Dr Dmitry Aleynik models physical processes which determine the evolution of water properties at a range of scales from Scottish sea lochs with limited exchange to the entire North Atlantic Ocean using various oceanographic numerical models (included unstructured models).
- Dr Vladimir Ivanov specialises in oceanic fronts, water masses, dense water flows, sea ice dynamics.
- Dr Mark Inall models tidal flows and internal waves with their associated vertical mixing in areas from the deep sea (Wyville-Thomson Ridge) through the shelf seas (Malin Shelf, Iberian Shelf) to coastal regions (NW European and Arctic fjords).
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Geochemistry
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- Robert Turnewitsch uses fluid dynamics models to study the sediment geochemistry of the deep sea and to investigate how flow interactions vary with the topographic geometry relative to the intensity of steady inflow, stratification, geographical latitude, tidal forcing, tidal excursion, water depth and the internal-wave characteristic? He then uses these to study the biogeochemical fluxes across the sediment-water interface, the decomposition and preservation of organic matter and ecosystem structure and dynamics.
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Microbiology
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- Dr Keith Davidson uses numerical models in a range of applications including the study and interpretation of phytoplankton growth, protozoan-phytoplankton interactions and microbial food web dynamics in pelagic ecosystems. In addition different types of models of harmful algal blooms are being developed using either risk assessment criteria or through the coupling of physical and biological models using an individual based model (IBM) approach.
- Dr Paul Tett works with physical oceanographers to build models of marine biogeochemical cycling and the growth of microplankton (phytoplankton plus pelagic microheterotrophs) in relation to physical processes in the ocean and in Scottish sea-lochs; these models have been used to explore and test hypotheses about marine ecosystem function, and some have been adapted to for management of water quality. For example, the ACExR-LESV model, developed with funding from the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum and the European Commission, can be used to simulate water-body-scale interactions between environment and aquaculture, so allowing the estimation of carrying capacity.
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Ecology
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Modelling in the Ecology department includes fish behaviour, population and community models, recruitment dynamics, stock assessment, habitat complexity and statistics, food web and trophic ecology and agent-based bio-economic models.
- Dr Mike Burrows also studies animal behaviour by using models of animal behaviour, as well as models of population and community interactions to understand the processes acting on different scales on an ecosystem.
- Dr Clive Fox makes use of population dynamics models in relation to factors affecting fish growth and harvesting as well as individual based models coupled with oceanographic models to investigate the transport of fish eggs and larvae.
- Dr Tom Wilding implements and develops statistical models to further our understanding of ecological processes and biological community responses to anthropogenic impacts.
- Dr Sheila Heymans uses food web models such as Ecopath with Ecosim and Ecological Network Analysis to understand the impact of fisheries and other human impacts on marine ecosystems.
- Dr Branka Valcic uses agent-based and systems models to study the spatial and temporal patters and non-linearities of natural resource use with a focus on individual and community adaptation, conflict resolution, climate change, policy and sustainability of ecosystems.
- Dr Tom Adams is interested in simple structured population models, and combines these with hydrodynamic models to understand the implications of dispersal and local environmental conditions for population dynamics and community structure.
- Dr Bob Batty (emeritus) studies the behaviour of fish specifically with regards to renewable devices.
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