Sea grass bed protection device based on tidal change monitoring

Abstract

The utility model discloses a sea grass bed protection device based on tidal change monitoring, and belongs to the field of sea grass bed protection. Comprising a tide monitoring and early warning device and an automatic water storage and drainage device, wherein the tide monitoring and early warning device is used for predicting tide fluctuation time and tide height and sending out early warning signals; the automatic water storage and drainage device comprises a master controller, a plurality of automatic water storage and drainage devices, hollow contraction pipes, a water level measuring instrument and a drainage pump, the automatic water storage and drainage devices are distributed on the periphery of the to-be-protected seaweed bed, and the automatic water storage and drainage devices are sequentially connected and communicated with the periphery of the to-be-protected seaweed bed through the hollow contraction pipes to form a closed-loop communication structure; the automatic water storage and drainage device and the hollow shrinkage pipe sink to the seabed under the condition of being full of water, and can float in the water when being empty or under the conditions of half air and the like. The device can be flexibly and spatially distributed in groups according to the area of a sea grass bed, and the protection device is started before the change value of a tide height value caused by ocean tides exceeds a certain standard value to protect the stability of water grass root systems.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of seagrass bed protection and restoration technology in marine environments. It relates to a seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes. This device can protect the roots of seagrass beds when tidal fluctuations are significant, and also helps stabilize sediment at the bottom of the seagrass bed to some extent. Simultaneously, it can artificially provide the seagrass bed with trace elements necessary for healthy growth, thus rapidly restoring the ecological environment of seagrass beds affected by tidal changes or other factors to a certain extent. Background Technology

[0002] The role of seagrass beds in marine ecology

[0003] Seagrass beds refer to seagrass ecosystems dominated by single or multiple seagrass species. They provide invaluable ecosystem services for coastal protection and the formation of chemical habitats, earning them the titles of "lungs of the ocean," "underwater grassland," and "underwater forest." Seagrass produces approximately 500-1000 grams of carbon per square meter annually, storing 10% of global ocean carbon each year, making it an extremely important "blue carbon sink." Seagrass growth requires high water quality, and its health largely reflects the degree of pollution in the local aquatic environment, thus it is also known as an "ecological sentinel." The high productivity and abundant humus of seagrass beds are important nutrient sources for the underwater world, providing food and habitat for thousands of species and playing a vital role in maintaining biodiversity. Furthermore, seagrass beds also have ecological functions such as mitigating seawater acidification and preventing soil erosion.

[0004] The effect of ocean tidal changes on seagrass beds

[0005] Because seagrass beds are mostly distributed in shallow sea areas, tidal energy (the potential energy of water formed by the rise and fall of tides, ultimately manifesting as potential energy) generated by ocean tides causes hydrodynamic changes, severely affecting the growth of seagrass beds and reducing their valuable contribution to the ecosystem. A 2022 study by scholar RK James found that when the hydrodynamic forces generated by ocean tides cause a sea level rise of 0.87 meters, it reduces the shear stress of seagrass beds, leading to a 5-7% increase in the median sediment grain size at seagrass locations. This results in instability in sediment surface and water pH, significantly reducing the ecological environment of seagrass beds, making surrounding coastlines more susceptible to erosion, and to some extent exacerbating the negative impacts of climate change.

[0006] Current situation in my country

[0007] my country has approximately 26,495.69 hectares of seagrass beds, comprising 16 species belonging to 9 genera and 4 families. In recent years, my country has implemented numerous measures to protect and restore seagrass beds, including establishing seagrass bed protected areas (such as the Xincun Port and Li'an Port Seagrass Special Protection Area in Lingshui, Hainan Province, and the Tangshan Seagrass Bed Nature Reserve in Hebei Province), including them in ecological red lines, and carrying out seagrass bed ecological restoration projects. According to rough estimates, taking the Tangshan seagrass bed (3,217 hectares), the largest seagrass bed in my country, as an example, it can support 240 million fish and 300 billion invertebrates, absorb 12,000-21,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, absorb 3.6 tons of nutrients from the sewage of 600,000 people, and release 300 million liters of oxygen, with an estimated annual value of US$120 million. However, with the increasing intensity of marine development and utilization, the marine ecological environment and biological resources face serious threats. Seagrass beds in my country and globally have suffered severe degradation; it is known that over 80% of seagrass beds in my country alone have completely disappeared.

[0008] Therefore, given the adverse effects of ocean tidal changes on seagrass bed water quality and growth conditions, it is particularly important to strengthen the monitoring of the impact of ocean tidal changes on seagrass bed ecosystems, building upon existing protection measures. However, most existing seagrass bed protection measures are macro-level, such as establishing seagrass bed protection and management systems and rationally planning seagrass bed protected areas, with very few interventions at the micro-level to address natural factors affecting the ecological health of seagrass beds and thus protect their ecological functions. Utility Model Content

[0009] In view of the shortcomings of existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes.

[0010] A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes includes a tidal monitoring and early warning device (1), an automatic water storage and drainage device (2), and a positioning base (3);

[0011] The tide monitoring and early warning device (1) is mainly used to predict the tide rise and fall time and tide height and issue early warning signals;

[0012] The automatic water storage and drainage device (2) responds to the seagrass bed protection based on the tide height after receiving the warning signal. The automatic water storage and drainage device (2) includes a main controller (2.1), several automatic water storage and drainage units (2.2), a hollow contraction tube (2.4), a water level measuring instrument (2.5), and a drainage pump (2.6). The automatic water storage and drainage unit (2.2) is a spherical cavity structure or a spherical cavity structure with a missing bottom. The hollow contraction tube (2.4) is a retractable hollow tube formed by nested tubes. Multiple automatic water storage and drainage units (2.2) are distributed around the seagrass bed to be protected. The multiple automatic water storage and drainage units (2.2) are connected sequentially by the hollow contraction tube (2.4) to form a closed-loop connection structure around the seagrass bed to be protected. At least one of the automatic water storage and drainage units (2.2) is connected to the seagrass bed to be protected. The automatic storage and drainage device (2.2) is equipped with an inlet (2.2.1) that can be automatically controlled (if the inlet is equipped with a door that can be automatically controlled, it is equipped with a controller). The motor-matched telescopic rod (2.2.3) is located inside the automatic storage and drainage device (2.2). One end of the motor-matched telescopic rod (2.2.3) is connected to the hollow contraction tube (2.4), and the other end is matched with the underwater motor (2.2.2) (located inside the automatic storage and drainage device (2.2)) to control the extension and retraction of the hollow contraction tube (2.4). At least one automatic storage and drainage device (2.2) is equipped with a drain pipe and a corresponding drain pump (2.6) and a water level measuring instrument (2.6) for measuring the water level in the automatic storage and drainage device (2.2) (relative to the water level in the automatic storage and drainage device). The drain pipe is equipped with a valve, and the drain pump (2.6) is connected to the drain pipe.

[0013] The main controller (2.1) is equipped with a signal receiver that can receive signals from the tide monitoring and early warning device (1); the main controller (2.1) is electrically connected to the water level measuring instrument (2.5), the drainage pump (2.6), the valve of the drainage pipe, the controller of the inlet (2.2.1), the underwater motor (2.2.2), etc.

[0014] The connection point (2.2.4) when the motor-mounted telescopic rod is connected to the hollow shrink tube is a fixed connection between one end of the motor-mounted telescopic rod and the inside of a movable section of the hollow shrink tube.

[0015] The automatic drainer (2.2) has drainer connection ports (2.2.5) on the left and right sides that connect to the hollow shrink tube.

[0016] The size of the automatic water storage device (2.2) is set according to the volume of the seagrass bed, generally with a diameter of 1 / 5 of the average height of the seagrass bed; the total length of the retractable part of the retractable rod after extension is equal to the diameter of the water storage device, which is the maximum retraction range. The automatic water storage device (2.2) combines internal structural components and a hollow retractable tube. Both the automatic water storage device (2.2) and the hollow retractable tube can be made of different rigid materials and thicknesses depending on the application, so that when full of water, it sinks to the seabed, and when empty or partially empty, it can float in the water.

[0017] The automatic water storage and drainage device (2) includes at least four, and 4-20 automatic water storage and drainage devices (2) can be set according to the area of ​​the seagrass bed. At least two of the automatic water storage and drainage devices (2) are fixedly connected by chains and positioning bases (2.3). Preferably, the four diagonally positioned automatic water storage and drainage devices (2) are fixedly connected by chains and positioning bases (2.3). The positioning bases (2.3) are fixed to the seabed.

[0018] Replace one of the automatic water storage and drainage devices (2.2) in the closed-loop interconnected structure with an auxiliary material box (2.3). The auxiliary material box (2.3) is equipped with an auxiliary material box inlet (2.3.1) and auxiliary material box connection ports (2.3.2) on the left and right sides, which are connected to the hollow shrink tube. The auxiliary material box (2.3) is equipped with a corresponding motor-matched telescopic rod (2.2.3) and an underwater motor (2.2.2). The auxiliary material box (2.3) is used to add some auxiliary materials.

[0019] This device allows for flexible spatial grouping and distribution based on the area of ​​the seagrass bed. It activates a protective mechanism before the tidal height variation caused by ocean tides exceeds a certain standard value, ensuring the stability of the seagrass root system. Simultaneously, the device's auxiliary feeding box provides the seagrass bed with the trace elements necessary for its healthy growth, thus improving the ecological environment of the seagrass bed through human intervention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 Front view (left) and top view (right) of the seagrass bed protection device in a loose state;

[0021] Figure 2 Front view (left) and top view (right) of the seagrass bed protection device in its retracted state;

[0022] Figure 3 External view of the automatic water storage and drainage device 2;

[0023] Figure 4 2.2 Internal view of the automatic water storage and drainage system;

[0024] in:

[0025] 1. Tide monitoring and early warning device

[0026] 2. Automatic water storage and drainage device

[0027] 2.1 Main Controller

[0028] 2.2 Automatic water storage and drainage device

[0029] 2.2.1 Automatic water storage and drainage device inlet

[0030] 2.2.2 Underwater motor

[0031] 2.2.3 Motor-equipped telescopic rod

[0032] 2.2.4 Connection point between the motor-mounted telescopic rod and the hollow contraction tube

[0033] 2.2.5 Connection between automatic water storage device and hollow shrink pipe

[0034] 2.3 Auxiliary Material Box

[0035] 2.3.1 Auxiliary material box inlet

[0036] 2.3.2 Connection port between auxiliary material box and hollow shrink tube

[0037] 2.4 Hollow shrink tube

[0038] 2.5 Water level measuring instrument

[0039] 2.6 Drainage Pump

[0040] 3. Positioning base and chain Detailed Implementation

[0041] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and technical solutions, but this application is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] In its specific implementation, this utility model provides a seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes. It includes a tidal monitoring and early warning device 1, an automatic water storage and drainage device 2, and a positioning base 3. The automatic water storage and drainage device 2 includes a main controller 2.1, several automatic water storage and drainage units 2.2, a hollow contraction tube 2.4, a water level measuring instrument 2.5, and a drainage pump 2.6. The automatic water storage and drainage units 2.2 are spherical hollow structures or spherical hollow structures with missing bottoms, and the hollow contraction tube 2.4 is a retractable hollow tube formed by nested sections. Multiple automatic water storage and drainage units 2.2 are distributed around the seagrass bed to be protected, and these units are sequentially connected by the hollow contraction tube 2.4 to form a closed-loop connection around the seagrass bed. At least one of the automatic water storage and drainage units is connected by the hollow contraction tube 2.4. The drainer 2.2 is equipped with an inlet 2.2.1 that can be automatically controlled to open and close. The inlet is a door that can be automatically controlled to open and close and is equipped with a controller. A motor-mounted telescopic rod 2.2.3 is located inside the automatic drainer 2.2. One end of the motor-mounted telescopic rod 2.2.3 is connected to the hollow contraction tube 2.4, and the other end is connected to the underwater motor 2.2.2 located inside the automatic drainer 2.2. It is used to control the extension and retraction of the hollow contraction tube 2.4. At least one automatic drainer 2.2 is equipped with a drain pipe and a corresponding drain pump 2.6 and a water level measuring instrument 2.6 for measuring the water level inside the automatic drainer 2.2. The drain pipe is equipped with a valve, and the drain pump 2.6 is connected to the drain pipe.

[0044] The main controller 2.1 is equipped with a signal receiver, which can receive signals from the tide monitoring and early warning device 1; the main controller 2.1 is electrically connected to the water level measuring instrument 2.5, the drainage pump 2.6, the valve of the drainage pipe, the controller equipped with the inlet 2.2.1, the underwater motor 2.2.2, etc.

[0045] Before use, the device can be flexibly grouped and distributed according to the area of ​​the seagrass bed, rationally determining the number of automatic water storage devices 2.2 to be used, and setting positioning points according to length (generally 4 is appropriate). Weighted positioning bases and chains 3 are used to fix the devices around the seagrass bed to be protected according to its relative state (the automatic water storage devices 2.2 and hollow contraction tubes 2.4 in the entire automatic water storage device 2 are made of rigid materials, and the distribution points of the positioning bases and chains 3 can be rationally set according to the shape of the seagrass bed). The tide monitoring and early warning device 1 in the protection device can predict the tide rise and fall time and tide height and issue early warning signals. When using this device, an initial value needs to be set in advance. When the tide height value predicted by the tide monitoring and early warning device 1 exceeds the set standard (e.g., +0.87m), it will send an early warning signal to the main controller 2.1 of the automatic water storage device 2. The main controller 2.1, based on the received signal, uses the tightening and loosening of several automatic water storage devices 2.2 and hollow contraction tubes 2.4 to make corresponding seagrass bed protection responses.

[0046] The specific protection response is as follows: Under normal conditions, the automatic water storage device 2.2 in the automatic water storage device 2 is in a zero water storage state, the hollow contraction tube 2.4 is in a naturally extended state, and the entire automatic water storage device 2 is connected to the positioning base and chain 3, and is relatively loosely distributed around the seagrass bed underwater. When the main controller 2.1 of the automatic water storage and drainage device 2 receives a warning signal that the tide height exceeds the set standard, within 30 minutes before the tide rise and fall time shown in the warning signal, the underwater motor 2.2.2 in each automatic water storage and drainage device 2.2 will automatically open the inlet / outlet 2.2.1 of several automatic water storage and drainage devices 2.2 to quickly store water. At the same time, the underwater motor 2.2.2 drives the motor-connected telescopic rod 2.2.3 to contract the hollow contraction tube 2.4 through tension, so that the entire automatic water storage and drainage device 2 is relatively tightly contracted around the seagrass bed that needs protection. Utilizing the weight of the several automatic water storage and drainage devices 2.2 after they are full of water, it can protect the roots of the seagrass bed when the tide height fluctuates greatly, and at the same time, it can stabilize the sediment at the bottom of the seagrass bed to a certain extent.

[0047] When the tide height value received by the main controller 2.1 drops below the preset standard value, the drainage pump 2.6 on any of the automatic storage and drainage devices 2.2 will drain water at a constant speed. At the same time, the underwater motor 2.2.2 will drive the motor-connected telescopic rod 2.2.3 to relax the hollow contraction tube 2.4 through tension. When the water level measuring instrument 2.5 on the automatic storage and drainage device 2.2 detects that the water level in the automatic storage and drainage device 2.2 is less than the set value (e.g., 1 / 5 of the diameter of the sphere), the drainage will stop. During the drainage process, the entire automatic storage and drainage device 2 will gradually return to its relatively loosely distributed natural state around the seagrass bed. (Note: Because the devices are interconnected, the drainage control of the entire device can be achieved by installing the water level measuring instrument 2.5 and the drainage pump 2.6 on any of the automatic storage and drainage devices 2.2.)

[0048] In addition, this device incorporates an auxiliary material tank 2.3 from an environmental protection perspective, providing trace elements necessary for the healthy growth of seagrass beds. When environmental monitoring reveals that seagrass beds within the protected area are in a sub-healthy state, the operator calculates the required mixing ratio of trace elements and water based on the degree of sub-health and manually adds the necessary trace elements through the inlet 2.3.1 on the auxiliary material tank 2.3. These trace elements enter the hollow shrink tube 2.4 through the connection port 2.3.2 between the auxiliary material tank and the hollow shrink tube, and are then conducted to all automatic water storage and drainage devices 2.2 through multiple hollow shrink tubes. At this point, by using the drainage function of this device through the main controller, the purpose of supplementing the seagrass beds with the required trace elements can be achieved. The multiple automatic water storage and drainage devices 2.2 in this device maximize the contact area between the added auxiliary material and the seagrass bed to a certain extent. Through this kind of human intervention, the ecological environment of seagrass beds affected by tidal changes or other factors can be restored to a certain extent.

Claims

1. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes, characterized in that, Includes a tide monitoring and early warning device (1), an automatic water storage and drainage device (2), and a positioning base (3); The tide monitoring and early warning device (1) is mainly used to predict the tide rise and fall time and tide height and issue early warning signals; The automatic water storage and drainage device (2) responds to the seagrass bed protection based on the tide height value after receiving the early warning signal. The automatic water storage and drainage device (2) includes a main controller (2.1), several automatic water storage and drainage devices (2.2), a hollow contraction tube (2.4), a water level measuring instrument (2.5), and a drainage pump (2.6). The automatic water storage and drainage device (2.2) is a spherical cavity structure or a spherical cavity structure with a missing bottom. The hollow contraction tube (2.4) is a retractable hollow tube formed by segmented nested tubes. Multiple automatic water storage and drainage devices (2.2) are distributed around the seagrass bed to be protected. The multiple automatic water storage and drainage devices (2.2) are connected sequentially around the seagrass bed to be protected by hollow contraction tubes (2.4). The structure forms a closed loop; at least one automatic storage and drainage device (2.2) is equipped with an inlet (2.2.1) that can automatically control the switch, and a motor-matched telescopic rod (2.2.3) is located inside the automatic storage and drainage device (2.2). One end of the motor-matched telescopic rod (2.2.3) is connected to the hollow contraction tube (2.4), and the other end is connected to the underwater motor (2.2.2) to control the extension and retraction of the hollow contraction tube (2.4); at least one automatic storage and drainage device (2.2) is equipped with a drainage pipe and a corresponding drainage pump (2.6) and a water level measuring instrument (2.5) for measuring the water level inside the automatic storage and drainage device (2.2). The drainage pipe is equipped with a valve, and the drainage pump (2.6) is connected to the drainage pipe; The main controller (2.1) is equipped with a signal receiver that can receive signals from the tide monitoring and early warning device (1); the main controller (2.1) is electrically connected to the water level measuring instrument (2.5), the drainage pump (2.6), the valve of the drainage pipe, the controller of the inlet (2.2.1), and the underwater motor (2.2.2).

2. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The underwater motor (2.2.2) is located inside the automatic storage and drainage device (2.2), or outside the automatic storage and drainage device (2.2) and then connected to the other end of the motor-matched telescopic rod (2.2.3) via a transmission device.

3. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The connection point (2.2.4) when the motor-mounted telescopic rod is connected to the hollow shrink tube is a fixed connection between one end of the motor-mounted telescopic rod and the inside of a movable section of the hollow shrink tube.

4. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic drainer (2.2) has drainer connection ports (2.2.5) on the left and right sides that are connected to the hollow shrink tube.

5. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The size of the automatic drainer (2.2) is set according to the volume of the seagrass bed. Generally, the diameter is 1 / 5 of the average height of the seagrass bed. The total length of the retractable part of the retractable rod after extension is equal to the diameter of the drainer. This is the maximum retraction range.

6. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic water storage device (2.2) combines internal structural components and a hollow shrink tube. Both the automatic water storage device (2.2) and the hollow shrink tube can be made of different rigid materials and have different thicknesses depending on the usage, so that when it is full of water, it sinks to the seabed, and when it is empty or half empty, it can float in the water.

7. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic water storage and drainage device (2) includes at least four, and 4-20 automatic water storage and drainage devices (2) can be set according to the area of ​​the seagrass bed. At least two of the automatic water storage and drainage devices (2) are fixedly connected by chains and positioning bases (3), and the four diagonally opposite automatic water storage and drainage devices (2) are fixedly connected by chains and positioning bases (3); the positioning bases (3) are fixed to the seabed.

8. A seagrass bed protection device based on monitoring tidal changes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Replace one of the automatic water storage and drainage devices (2.2) in the closed-loop connected structure with an auxiliary material box (2.3). The auxiliary material box (2.3) is equipped with an auxiliary material box inlet (2.3.1) and auxiliary material box connection ports (2.3.2) connected to the hollow shrink tube on the left and right sides. The auxiliary material box (2.3) is equipped with a corresponding motor-matching telescopic rod (2.2.3) and an underwater motor (2.2.2). The auxiliary material box (2.3) is used to add some auxiliary materials.

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