Humphrey J A C
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Oecologia. 1987 Sep;73(3):469-477. doi: 10.1007/BF00385267.
Early investigations point to ballooning as an important mechanism for the dispersal of spiders. Most studies, however, have focused on collecting and interpreting observations with the aim of establishing the statistical characteristics of the dispersed population and their relation to biotic factors. With few exceptions, important physical factors that mechanically constrain the ballooning activity have been neglected or simply ignored. Especially important are various fluid mechanics phenomena that affect the initiation and maintenance of the ballooning activity. By reference to a simple mechanical model that simulates the essential drag characteristics of the ballooning spider-filament system, a region is defined, in terms of the relevant physical parameters, within which the ballooning activity can be initiated. Extension of the model allows a numerical investigation of the influence of vertical wind oscillations on the velocities and trajectories of ballooning spider-filament systems. Results are presented and discussed to illustrate the relative importance to ballooning of drag on the spider's body and on the silk filament to which it is attached.
早期研究表明，气球状飘浮是蜘蛛扩散的一种重要机制。然而，大多数研究都集中在收集和解释观测数据上，目的是确定扩散种群的统计特征及其与生物因素的关系。除了少数例外，那些机械限制气球状飘浮活动的重要物理因素一直被忽视或干脆被忽略了。特别重要的是各种影响气球状飘浮活动起始和维持的流体力学现象。通过参考一个简单的力学模型，该模型模拟了气球状飘浮的蜘蛛 - 蛛丝系统的基本阻力特性，根据相关物理参数定义了一个区域，在这个区域内可以启动气球状飘浮活动。该模型的扩展使得能够对垂直风振荡对气球状飘浮的蜘蛛 - 蛛丝系统的速度和轨迹的影响进行数值研究。给出并讨论了结果，以说明作用于蜘蛛身体和其所附着的蛛丝上的阻力对气球状飘浮的相对重要性。
