A probe mechanism to couple spatially explicit agents and landscape models in an integrated modelling framework

Authored by Phil A Graniero, Vincent B Robinson

Date Published: 2006

DOI: 10.1080/13658810600830541

Sponsors: National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

Platforms: Java

Model Documentation: UML Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Many environmental, ecological, and social problems require investigation using a mixture of landscape models, individual-based models, and some level of interaction between them. Few simulation-modelling frameworks are structured to handle both styles of model in an integrated fashion. ECO-COSM is a framework that is capable of handling complex models with both landscape and agent components. Its Probe-based architecture allows model components to have controlled access to the state of other components. The ProbeWrapper is a modification of this common design approach which allows alterations to the state retrieved from the model and is a critical component of ECO-COSM's broad modelling capability. It allows agents to apply perceptual filters or measurement errors to their observations of the landscape, or apply decision-making strategies in the face of incomplete or uncertain observations. ECO-COSM is demonstrated with a landscape model of metapopulation dynamics, an agent model of squirrel dispersal, and a coupled landscape-agent model to evaluate field-data-acquisition strategies for identifying nutrient or contaminant hotspots.

Tags

environment