Inclusion of Multiple Functional Types in an Automaton Model of Bioturbation and their Effects on Sediments Properties

Biologically active sediment is represented on a computer as a regular lattice of quasi-particles with individually assigned chemical, biological or physical properties. Model benthic organisms are introduced in the form of automatons, i.e. programmable entities, that are capable of moving through the particle lattice by displacing or ingesting-defecating particles. Each automaton obeys a set of rules, both deterministic and stochastic, designed to mimic real organism behavior, with different types of organisms having different sets of rules. The acronym for the model is LABS (lattice-automaton bioturbation simulator).