Scheduling algorithm based on critical tasks in heterogeneous environments

Heterogeneous computing is one effective method of high performance computing with many advantages. Task scheduling is a critical issue in heterogeneous environments as well as in homogeneous environments. A number of task scheduling algorithms for homogeneous environments have been proposed, whereas, a few for heterogeneous environments can be found in the literature. A novel task scheduling algorithm for heterogeneous environments, called the heterogeneous critical task （HCT） scheduling algorithm is presented. By means of the directed acyclic graph and the gantt graph, the HCT algorithm defines the critical task and the idle time slot. After determining the critical tasks of a given task, the HCT algorithm tentatively duplicates the critical tasks onto the processor that has the given task in the idle time slot, to reduce the start time of the given task. To compare the performance of the HCT algorithm with several recently proposed algorithms, a large set of randomly generated applications and the Gaussian elimination application are randomly generated. The experimental result has shown that the HCT algorithm outperforms the other algorithm.

GPSA:A Greedy Pull-based Scheduling Approach for P2P Live Streaming under Heterogeneous Environments

Pull-based P2P live streaming is a promising solution for the large scale streaming systems, like PPStream, PPlive, due to its high scalability, low cost and high resilience. However, they usually suffer from bad delay performance. In this paper, we seek to improve the delay performance under ensuring video display quality stemming from chunk scheduling. And so we model Pull-based chunk scheduling problem as a multi-objective optimization problem to minimize the video delay and maximize video display quality in the environment of heterogeneous upload bandwidths, heterogeneous and dynamic propagation delays. Finally we put up with a greedy Pull-based scheduling approach(GPSA) to solve the optimization problem. The evaluation shows GPSA can outperform two classical chunk scheduling approaches and adapt to dynamic variance of propagation delays.

The diffusive model for West Nile virus with advection and expanding fronts in a heterogeneous environment

In this paper,we investigate a reaction-diffusion-advection model with expanding fronts,which models the spatial transmission of West Nile virus(WNv)in a heterogeneous environment.A free boundary problem is formulated and the global existence and uniqueness of the solution is presented.In addition to a classical basic reproduction number,the spatial-temporal basic reproduction number for the model with null Dirichlet boundary condition is introduced and the risk index associated with the virus in spatial setting is defined,and their properties are discussed.Sufficient conditions for the WNv to vanish or spread are given,and the asymptotic behavior of the solution to the free boundary problem when the spreading occurs is established.Our results show that the initial number of infected populations and the expanding capability of the expanding fronts exhibit important impacts on the extinction or persistence of the virus.

A Message-Based Distributed Kernel for a Full Heterogeneous Environment

This paper presents the design and implementation of a message-based distributed operating system kernel NDOS. The main purpose of the kernel is to support a distributed data processing system and a distributed DBMS. It uses the abstraction of communication between processes as basic mechanism. In NDOS, services and facilities such as message passing and process synchronization, which are related to IPC and may cause the change of the state of a process, are integrated into a single concept, an event. The initial version of NDOS ker- nel has been implemented on a full heterogeneous environment of different machines, LANs, and OSs with the original high-layered systems and applications are still provided.

Importance of starting points in heterogeneous environments: interactions between two clonal plants with contrasting spatial architectures

Aims Plants can benefit from heterogeneous environments via disproportionately increasing resource harvesting in resource-rich patches.Their initial growing positions with respect to resource patches may thus have important influences on their performance and relative competitive ability.Such impacts may differ between species with contrasting spatial architectures.However,the potential influence of initial growing positions in heterogeneous environment on plant growth and competition has largely been ignored.Methods We grew the phalanx plant Carex neurocarpa and the guerrilla plant Bolboschoenus planiculmis alone or in competition in a heterogeneous environment consisting of high-and low-nutrient soil patches.In treatments without competition,one ramet of each species was grown in either a high-or a low-nutrient patch in the heterogeneous environment.In treatments with competition,a ramet of the target species was grown in either a high-or a low-nutrient patch,and a ramet of the competitor species was grown in the same patch as the target species or an adjacent patch with a different nutrient level.Important Findings Without competition C.neurocarpa produced more biomass and ramets when initially grown in a high-nutrient patch than when initially grown in a low-nutrient patch.With competition,these differences disappeared.Consequently,competitive intensity on C.neurocarpa was higher when it initially grew in a high-nutrient patch than when it initially grew in a low-nutrient patch.These impacts were independent of the initial position of its competitor.By contrast,the initial positions of B.planiculmis did not influence its growth or competitive response.Therefore,in heterogeneous environments,initial growing positions of clonal plants may influence their performance in competition-free environments and may also affect their relative competitive ability,and these effects may depend on spatial architecture of the plants.

Commensal microbiota and host metabolic divergence are associated with the adaptation of Diploderma vela to spatially heterogeneous environments

Heterogeneous environment adaptation is critical to understand the species evolution and response to climate change.However,how narrow-range species adapt to micro-geographic heterogeneity has been overlooked,and there is a lack of insights from metabolism and commensal microbiota.Here,we studied the environmental adaptation for 3 geographic populations(>40 km apart)of Diploderma vela,a lizard endemic to dry-hot valleys of the Hengduan Mountain Region.The climatic boundary caused a cooler,droughtier,and barren environment for northernmost population(RM)than the middle(QZK)and southernmost populations(FS).Correspondingly,significant divergences in liver and muscle metabolism and commensal microbiota were detected between RM and QZK or FS individuals,but not between QZK and FS individuals.Phospholipid composition,coenzyme level(i.e.pyridoxal and NAD^(+)),and cholesterol metabolism(e.g.androgen and estriol synthesis)constituted the major metabolic difference between RM and QZK/FS groups.FS and QZK individuals kept abundant Proteobacteria and antifungal strains,while RM individuals maintained more Firmicutes and Bacteroidota.Strong associations existed between varied host metabolite and gut microbes.How were these interpopulation variations associated to the environment adaptation were discussed.These results provided some novel insights into the environmental adaptation and implicated the consequence of climate change on narrow-range species.

Tree mycorrhizal associations determine how biodiversity,large trees,and environmental factors drive aboveground carbon stock in temperate forests

Biodiversity,large trees,and environmental conditions such as climate and soil have important effects on forest carbon stocks.However,recent studies in temperate forests suggest that the relative importance of these factors depends on tree mycorrhizal associations,whereby large-tree effects may be driven by ectomycorrhizal(EM)trees,diversity effects may be driven by arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)trees,and environment effects may depend on differential climate and soil preferences of AM and EM trees.To test this hypothesis,we used forest-inventory data consisting of over 80,000 trees from 631 temperate-forest plots(30 m×30 m)across Northeast China to examine how biodiversity(species diversity and ecological uniqueness),large trees(top 1%of tree diameters),and environmental factors(climate and soil nutrients)differently regulate aboveground carbon stocks of AM trees,EM trees,and AM and EM trees combined(i.e.total aboveground carbon stock).We found that large trees had a positive effect on both AM and EM tree carbon stocks.However,biodiversity and environmental factors had opposite effects on AM vs.EM tree carbon stocks.Specifically,the two components of biodiversity had positive effects on AM tree carbon stocks,but negative effects on EM tree carbon stocks.Environmental heterogeneity(mean annual temperature and soil nutrients)also exhibited contrasting effects on AM and EM tree carbon stocks.Consequently,for the total carbon stock,the positive large-tree effect far surpasses the diversity and environment effect.This is mainly because when integrating AM and EM tree carbon stock into total carbon stock,the opposite diversity-effect(also environment-effect)on AM vs.EM tree carbon stock counteracts each other while the consistent positive large-tree effect on AM and EM tree carbon stock is amplified.In summary,this study emphasized a mycorrhizal viewpoint to better understand the determinants of overarching aboveground carbon profile across regional forests.

Spatial distributions of tropical tree species in northern Vietnam under environmentally variable site conditions

Ecological interactions of species and thus their spatial pat- terns may differ between homogeneous and heterogeneous forests. To account for this, techniques of point pattern analysis were implemented on mapped locations of tree individuals from two 1-ha tropicalforest plots in Vietnam. We analyzed the effect of environmental heterogeneity on tree distributions; spatial distribution patterns of dominant species; inter-specific associations; and conspecific associations between life stages. Our analyses showed that： environmental conditions were homo- geneous at plot 1 but heterogeneous at plot 2; in both plots, all six domi- nant species were aggregated at various scales up to 30 m, and tree spe- cies were aggregated at larger scales in the homogeneous site than in the heterogeneous site; attraction between pairs of species was remarkably higher at the homogeneous site while negative associations were more frequent in the heterogeneous site; some species, H. kurzii, T. ilicifolia （homogeneous plot） and D. sylvatica, S. wightianum （heterogeneous plot） showed a lack of early life-stage individuals near conspecific adults. Moreover, additional clustering of young individuals was independent from conspecific adults, except D. sylvatica in both sites. These findings are consistent with the Janzen-ConneU hypothesis. Overall, habitat het- erogeneity influences spatial patterns and inter-specific associations of the tree species and evidences of self-thinning are shown in most species.

Potential tradeoffs between intraspecific and interspecific trait variations along an environmental gradient in a subtropical forest

There has been growing attention to intraspecific variation in trait-based plant ecology. However, studies on these changes across ontogenetic stages and the potential trade-offs with interspecific traits along environmental gradients are rare. In this study, we measured six wood and bark traits of 1030 trees of six species(Castanopsis nigrescens; C. carlesii; Lithocarpus polystachyus; L. synbalanos; Ormosia glaberrima; O. pachycarpa) from a10-ha plot in a subtropical forest. Mean intraspecific variation in bark thickness and bark percentage to DBH was more than twice that for wood density and bark density.Bark thickness and bark percentage showed a consistent trend with increasing tree size. Small-tree traits were more variable than the same traits in larger trees. Altitude,convexity and soil nutrients explained the majority of the variations in the six traits, while sibling species had similar relationships between traits and environmental variables.Trees with dense wood and thin bark were usually found on steep slopes at lower altitudes. Our findings show intraspecific trait variability has different spatial patterns compared with interspecific variabilities along an environmental gradient.

Spatial patterns of Picea crassifolia driven by environmental heterogeneity and intraspecifi c interactions

Research on the spatial patterns of tree populations is critical for understanding the structure and dynamic processes of forests.However,little is known about how the underlying drivers shape these patterns and species interactions in forest systems.In this study,spatial point pattern analysis investigated the combined eff ects of intraspecifi c interactions and environmental heterogeneity on the spatial structure and internal maintenance mechanisms of Picea crassifolia in the Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve,China.Data were obtained from a 10.2-ha dynamic monitoring plot(DMP)and sixteen 0.04-ha elevation gradient plots(EGPs).Under complete spatial randomness,both mature trees and saplings in the DMP demonstratedlarge-scale aggregation with negative correlations.In EGPs,saplings were clustered in small mesoscales,mature trees were randomly distributed,and the interactions of saplingstrees at all elevations were not correlated.By eliminating the interference of environmental heterogeneity through the inhomogeneous Poisson process,saplings in the DMP and EGPs were clustered in small scales and trees randomly distributed.Intraspecifi c associations were negatively correlated,in the DMP and at low elevations,and no correlations in high elevations of EGPs.In the vertical scale,saplings showed a small-scale aggregation pattern with increase in elevation,and the aggregation degree fi rst decreased and then increased.The interactions of saplings-trees and saplings–saplings showed inhibitions at small scales,with the degree of inhibition gradually decreasing.Spatial patterns and associations of adults–adults did not change signifi-cantly.The results revealed that intraspecifi c interactions and environmental heterogeneity regulated the spatial patterns of P.crassifolia at small and large scales,respectively.Environmental heterogeneity might be the most decisive factor aff ecting the spatial patterns of saplings,while trees were more aff ected by intraspecifi c interactions.Moreover,competition between trees in this area could be more common than facilitation for the growth and development of individuals.

Environmental heterogeneity and productivity drive the assemblage of benthic diatom:a case study of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Dam construction has a critical effect on river ecosystems in the world,resulting in a rapid decline in biodiversity and ecosystem health.However,the effect of dam construction on the assemblage pattern of benthic diatoms remains unclear.The benthic diatoms assemblages in the tributary backwater area of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR)were investigated under low water level(LWL)and high water level(HWL)conditions.Results show that Discostella stelligera,Nitzschia palea,and Craticula subminuscula were dominant species in LWL,while Achnanthidium minutissimum and Nitzschia dissipata were dominant in HWL.Furthermore,environmental variables,productivity parameters,diversity indices,and community similarity were found significantly different between LWL and HWL periods.The Mantel test indicated that both environmental and spatial factors had significant effects on diatom communities in backwater area,while productivity was also a key driving force in LWL.The variation partitioning analysis(VPA)further demonstrated that environment factors could explain the largest variance of diatom assemblages in HWL(9%)and LWL(11%),followed by spatial factors.The relative importance of productivity to diatom community was significantly enhanced in LWL,but only a slight effect was found in HWL.These results indicate that the diatom assemblages were shaped by both environmental filtering and spatial factors.The relative importance of spatial factors depended on the degree of productivity.Therefore,the homogenization of diatom communities due to environmental disturbance,e.g.eutrophication and dam building,is the underlying mechanism in assembling the benthic diatoms.

Spatial Heterogeneity of Agricultural Science and Technology Parks Technology Diffusion: A Case Study of Yangling ASTP

Agricultural science and technology parks(ASTPs) represent an important growth pole in China’s agricultural modernization.Clarifying their diffusion laws can optimize the technological diffusion process and improve its efficiency. Our study uses disaggregated spatial information in its model to analyze ASTP technology diffusion in a heterogeneous space. We constructed a comprehensive index system to evaluate the diffusion environmental quality and introduced the heterogeneous diffusion equation to calculate the technological diffusion probability. We applied this framework to a real-world scenario: the apple planting technology diffusion of the Yangling ASTP in the Loess Plateau, China. The results indicated: (1)the technological diffusion environment of the Loess Plateau advantageous apple producing area showed strong spatial heterogeneity caused by climate, topography, and external transportation links.(2) Under the combined effects of distance and spatial heterogeneity, the spatial diffusion pattern of the Yangling ASTP apple technology was expansion diffusion supplemented by hierarchical diffusion and banded diffusion, and (3) ASTP technology diffusion showed a strong distance attenuation effect, and the frictional effect of distance can be decreased by improving the diffusion environmental quality. These laws can promote regional balanced ASTP-driven development.

A signal-substrate match in the substrate-borne component of a multimodal courtship display

The environment can impose strong limitations on the efficacy of signal transmission. In particular, for vibratory communication, the signaling environment is often extremely heterogeneous at small scales. Nevertheless, natural selection is expected to select for signals well-suited for effective transmission. Here, we test for substrate-dependent signal efficacy in the wolf spider Schizocosa stridulans Strattou 1991. We first explore the transmission characteristics of this important signaling mo- dality by playing recorded substrate-bome signals through three different substrates （leaf litter, pine litter, and red clay） and measuring the propagated signal. We found that the substrate-bome signal of S. stridulans attenuates the least on leaf litter, the substrate upon which the species is naturally found. Next, by assessing mating success with artificially muted and non-muted males across different signaling substrates （leaf litter, pine litter, and sand）, we explored the relationship between substrate-bome signaling and signaling substrate for mating success. We found that muted males were unsuccessful in obtaining copulations re- gardless of substrate, while mating success was dependent on the signaling substrate for non-muted males. For non-muted males, more males copulated on leaf litter than any other substrate. Taken together, these results confLrm the importance of sub- strate-bome signaling in S. stridulans and suggest a match between signal properties and signal efficacy - leaf litter transmits the signal most effectively and males are most successful in obtaining copulations on leaf litter [Current Zoology 56 （3）： 370-378, 2010].

Habitat associations of saplings and adults in an old-growth temperate forest in the Changbai mountains, northeastern China

Species-habitat association analysis is useful to detect spatial arrangement of individual plants, to discover rules about the distribution of species and to generate hypotheses about the possible underlying process controlling observed structures. Quantifying methods were used to classify habitats in terms of topographical variables in a mixed temperate broad-leaved Korean pine forest of the Changbai mountains in northeastern China. All of the 625 20 m × 20 m quadrats of the plot could be unambiguously assigned to one of three habitat categories （low-plateau, high-plateau and slope）. Torus-translation tests were used to estimate species-habitat associations. Many species are clearly distributed in a biased fashion with respect to habitats. Fifteen （55.6%） out of 27 species showed strong positive or negative association with specific habitats. We compared species-habitat associations at the sapling and adult stages. Adjusted density values indicated few species exhibit extremely strong habitat associations. Only 9 out of 26 species had adjusted densities 〉 3 in the habitat for which they had strong positive affinity. Few species show the same associations at the small tree and large tree stages. Only 3 out of 22 occurring associations with a specific habitat appeared to have a consistent habitat association at the two stages. These results suggest that species-habitat associations exist in the 25-ha plot of the temperate forest of the Chang- bai mountains. Owing to limitations in our statistical methodology, we partly underestimated associations by ignoring rare species. Regeneration niches can contribute to co-existence, but regeneration niches due to habitat associations play a limited role in species co-existence, since most species show a similar trend in habitat associations at the sapling and adult stages. We should pay more attention to shifts in habitat associations, i.e. niche shifts at different stages of existence.

Heterogeneity-diversity Relationships in Natural Areas of Yunnan,China

Understanding regional environmental heterogeneity(EH)and biodiversity relationships(heterogeneity-diversity relationships:HDRs)is the first step toward coupling environmental variables with biodiversity surrogates into regional systematic conservation planning.However,there is no universal method for determining regional HDRs that considers various environmental variables and biodiversity in different regions.This study selected 32 nature reserves as natural areas in Yunnan,China,to examine regional HDRs in Yunnan.We calculated 17 EH parameters(of soil,topography,and climate)and three(ecosystem,plant,and animal)biodiversity indices in the nature reserves.By examining the explanatory power of each EH parameter and area of the nature reserve,we identified the primary parameters and constructed an optimal model for each biodiversity index.The explanatory powers of these parameters varied for each biodiversity index,and those of climatic parameters were generally higher than soil and topographic heterogeneity ones.Heterogeneity of the temperature annual range,followed by area and heterogeneity of soil type,were important parameters for ecosystem diversity of Yunnan and the optimal model explained 56.9%.Plant diversity was explained 54.5%by its optimal model,consisting of heterogeneity of precipitation of the coldest quarter and annual precipitation.Heterogeneity of temperature annual range was important for animal diversity in Yunnan and explained 29.6%of its optimal model.This study suggests that EH parameters can be an effective surrogate for biodiversity,therefore,we suggested that the significance and role of climatically heterogeneous regions for the conservation of biodiversity in Yunnan should be further studied in the future.

Elevational diversity gradients across seed plant taxonomic levels in the Lancang River Nature Reserve： role of temperature, water and the mid-domain effect

It remains unclear whether the elevational diversity gradients observed in seed plants across different taxonomic levels （family, genus, and species） are driven by the same macro-environmental variables. In this study, seed plant elevational distribution data from the Lancang River Nature Reserve （Yunnan, China） were used to investigate spatial patterns in diversity and their environ- mental correlates, comparing across taxonomic levels. Environmental variables included energy availability, climate seasonality and environmental heterogeneity. All taxonomic levels （family, genus, and species） were found to have strong elevational richness gradients, with the strength of the gradient weakening at higher taxonomic levels. Spatial patterns in richness were explained by a combination of contemporary environmental variables and the mid-domain effect at all taxonomic levels. The independent effects of temperature- and precipitation-related variables were similar in explaining geographical patterns of family, genus and species richness. Energy, seasonality and heterogeneity variables influenced seed plant spatial richness at different taxonomic levels in similar ways.

Network simulation task partition method in heterogeneous computing environment

To reduce the running time of network simulation in heterogeneous computing environment,a network simulation task partition method,named LBPHCE,is put forward.In this method,the network simulation task is partitioned in comprehensive consideration of the load balance of both routing computing simulation and packet forwarding simulation.First,through benchmark experiments,the computation ability and routing simulation ability of each simulation machine are measured in the heterogeneous computing environment.Second,based on the computation ability of each simulation machine,the network simulation task is initially partitioned to meet the load balance of packet forwarding simulation in the heterogeneous computing environment,and then according to the routing computation ability,the scale of each partition is fine-tuned to satisfy the balance of the routing computing simulation,meanwhile the load balance of packet forwarding simulation is guaranteed.Experiments based on PDNS indicate that,compared to traditional uniform partition method,the LBPHCE method can reduce the total simulation running time by 26.3%in average,and compared to the liner partition method,it can reduce the running time by 18.3%in average.

Effects of Soil Nutrient Heterogeneity and Earthworms on Aboveground Biomass of Experimental Plant Communities

Soil nutrients are commonly heterogeneously distributed and earthworms are one of the most common soil organisms.While effects of both soil nutrient heterogeneity and earthworms have been well studied,their interactive effect on plant community productivity has rarely been tested.In a greenhouse experiment,we constructed experimental plant communities by sowing seed mixtures of four grasses,two legumes and two forbs in either a heterogeneous soil consisting of low and high nutrient soil patches or a homogeneous soil where the low and high nutrient soil patches were evenly mixed.The earthworm Eisenia fetida was either added to these soils or not.Aboveground biomass of the whole communities,grasses and legumes did not differ between the homogeneous and heterogeneous soils or between the soils with and without earthworms.However,soil nutrient heterogeneity reduced aboveground biomass of forbs,and such an effect did not interact with earthworms.In response to soil heterogeneity and earthworms,biomass ratio of the three functional groups showed similar patterns as that of their biomass.At the patch level,aboveground biomass of the whole community,grasses and legumes were greater in the high than in the low nutrient soil patches within the heterogeneous soil.A similar pattern was found for the forbs,but this was only true in the absence of earthworms.Our results suggest that soil nutrient heterogeneity and earthworms may not influence aboveground biomass of plant communities,despite the fact that they may modify the growth of certain plant functional groups within the community.

Effects of clonal integration on allelopathy of invasive plant Wedelia trilobata under heterogeneous light conditions

Plant invasion is one of the most serious threats to ecosystems worldwide.When invasive plants with the ability of clonal growth invading or colonizing in new habitat,their interconnected ramets may suffer from heterogeneous light.Effects of clonal integration on allelopathy of invasive plants are poorly understood under heterogeneous light conditions.To investigate the effects of clonal integration on allelopathy of invasive plant Wedelia trilobata under heterogeneous light conditions,a pot experiment was conducted by using its clonal fragments with two successive ramets.The older ramets were exposed to full light,whereas the younger ones were subjected to 20%full light.The younger ramets of each clonal fragment were adjacently grown with a target plant(one tomato seedling)in a pot.Stolon between two successive ramets was either severed or retained intact.In addition,two tomato seedlings(one as target plant)were adjacently grown in a pot as contrast.Compared with severing stolon,biomass accumulation,foliar chlorophyll and nitrogen contents,chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and net photosynthetic rates of the target plants as well as their root length and activity,were significantly decreased when stolon between interconnected ramets of W.trilobata retained intact.Under heterogeneous light conditions,transportation or sharing of carbohydrate between two successive ramets enhanced allelopathy of the young ramets subjected to 20%full light treatment.It is suggested that clonal integration may be important for invasion or colonization of invasive plants with ability of clonal growth under heterogeneous light conditions.

Federatedmutual learning:a collaborative machine learning method for heterogeneous data,models,and objectives

Federated learning(FL)is a novel technique in deep learning that enables clients to collaboratively train a shared model while retaining their decentralized data.However,researchers working on FL face several unique challenges,especially in the context of heterogeneity.Heterogeneity in data distributions,computational capabilities,and scenarios among clients necessitates the development of customized models and objectives in FL.Unfortunately,existing works such as FedAvg may not effectively accommodate the specific needs of each client.To address the challenges arising from heterogeneity in FL,we provide an overview of the heterogeneities in data,model,and objective(DMO).Furthermore,we propose a novel framework called federated mutual learning(FML),which enables each client to train a personalized model that accounts for the data heterogeneity(DH).A“meme model”serves as an intermediary between the personalized and global models to address model heterogeneity(MH).We introduce a knowledge distillation technique called deep mutual learning(DML)to transfer knowledge between these two models on local data.To overcome objective heterogeneity(OH),we design a shared global model that includes only certain parts,and the personalized model is task-specific and enhanced through mutual learning with the meme model.We evaluate the performance of FML in addressing DMO heterogeneities through experiments and compare it with other commonly used FL methods in similar scenarios.The results demonstrate that FML outperforms other methods and effectively addresses the DMO challenges encountered in the FL setting.