Modelling an ecosystem: The example of agro-ecosystems
Authored by Geoffrey Caron-Lormier, David A Bohan, Cathy Hawes, Alan Raybould, Roger W Humphry, Richard Dye
Date Published: 2011
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2010.11.028
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Abstract
Methods to predict ecosystem responses to changing environmental
conditions, including options for mitigation and management, are vital
for scientists and policy makers. We propose that modelling ecosystems
by grouping species into trophic-functional types has great utility, because it is potentially generic and applicable to any ecosystem.
Here we describe in details a trophic-functional ecosystem model of
arable agriculture (the TrophicLINK model), constructed using an
individual-based model, and present some supporting sensitivity tests of
the model performing according to our expectations for the arable
ecosystem. We vary parameters for particular plant and invertebrate
trophic-functional types and we show that the model is sensitive to the
values chosen.
Though this trophic-functional method for modelling ecosystems will be
subject to further sensitivity tests and empirical validation, we argue
that the modelling structure is fit for investigating the impact of
changes in agro-ecosystems. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Tags
resilience
systems
Density
Plant
Strength
Food-web structure
Trophic cascades
Farm-scale evaluations
Herbicide-tolerant crops
Predator diversity