Environmental Modeling

Model/Simulate

Here I will describe my view concerning what is a model or a simulation. Models are everywhere as are simulations. What is the difference?

A Number

A number is useless, unless it comes with three units – base, numerator and denominator.

For example the number  5 has no meaning unless we add a numerator unit like “Stars”.   This is not enough we still need a second denominator unit like “General” or “Hotel”.  This gives us 5 Star/Hotel or 5 star/General.  Always look for the 2 units which go with a number.

Thermal Profile

 Temperature in relation to a time step (hour, day, week, year, etc) and geographical area.  All living organisms are adapted to a thermal environment weather in water, air or earth. One of the most important components of an environment is its Thermal Profile or climate… thermal characteristics..

Models

Most living organisms develop within a time step. Changes occur, depending upon a finite list of conditions and their relationships.  Leaves, flower, buds etc are dependent the species and climate.  Scales, fur, bones, etc development also depends upon the species and weather.

Nutrients

Nutrients prove the elements necessary for life and growth. Most nutrients are composed of simpler elements like proteins, carbohydrates, etc. Combinations can be extremely varied with large possibilities

Mortality

Death of an organism or some of its parts is unavoidable and can be calculated and modeled

Excretions

Waste products are processed and removed to accumulate in the environment.

Costs/Benefits

This is relative to an individual, group and observer’s perspective.

Evolution

Changes and adaptations over time.

Virtual Life

Computer generated numeric environments with virtual agents. These tools permit us to measure and understand competition, adaptation and evolution.

Complex Models

Ethology of Ethologists How do humans perceive and analyze behavior (animal or human)? Can computers simulate these functions? Computer-aided ethology aims to simulate human ethological functions or visual observations and  cognitive analysis.  We are all etholgist we all observe animals,  at least our own species Homo sapient

Non-Linear Models

Nutrition and Operational Research   This application calculates the most inexpensive mix of available foods (resources) which satisfy infant (0 – 24 months) nutritional needs (constraints).  The application uses the “Simplex Algorithm” to calculate the food mix and is written in FoxPro. As illustrated below, a master “Constraints” file controls the loading of the simplex table.  This file assures that all the “Available foods“, with their nutritional components (Amino Acids, Minerals, Vitamins, etc) are processes correctly and in accordance with the selected “Objective” record from the Objective file. The user selects an Available foods group, which could contain hundreds of different foods (i.e. bananas, shrimp, mother’s milk, etc.).   The user must also select an Objective record which contains the established limits for each nutrient.  Utility programs compare these two files and present the data in a variety of formats with necessary calculations so that the user can quickly verify and modify the data. After execution of the Simplex Algorithm the results are store, manipulated and presented to the user

Linear Models

CNRS – Plant adaptation to climate change can be modeled. I analyzed a Centre National Research Scientific (CNRS) developed model for plant adaptation to climate change.  Which I converted by importing old models and data into an Excel application. This expanded capabilities and flexibility making it easier to comprehend and adapt by users. (Montpellier, France)   IFRMER  – SAP –Aquaculture Production can be simulated .By managing a group of scientists we creating simple Excel simulations which was downloaded and used around the world in order help teach and manages aquaculture production.  We compiled 2-dimensional tables, biological models, financial, investments, fixed costs, variable costs, salaries and user entered data in order to predict business and environmental results.  (IFRMER, Montpellier, France).

AIACC Program (Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change in Multiple Regions and Sectors).

AIACC Program (Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change in Multiple Regions and Sectors).   AIACC-DMS Toolk itttp://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/aiacc/toolkit.html
the website provides brief descriptions of software and computer models that are useful in impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability assessments. Sections cover climate, agricultural, water resource, and ecosystem software tools.

SEDAC, (Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center)

SEDAC, the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center, http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/about
SEDAC, the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center, is one of the Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) in the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. SEDAC focuses on human interactions in the environment. Its mission is to develop and operate applications that support the integration of socioeconomic and Earth science data and to serve as an “Information Gateway” between the Earth and social sciences.

(MAGICC/SCENGEN (Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse-gas Induced Climate Change, and a Regional SCENario GENerator )

Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse-gas Induced Climate Change, and a Regional SCENario GENerator (MAGICC/SCENGEN)  http://www.climateplanning.org/tools/model-assessment-greenhouse-gas-induced-climate-change-and-regional-scenario-generator
MAGICC/SCENGEN has been designed as an accessible piece of software that uses emissions scenarios for greenhouse gases, reactive gases, and sulfur dioxide in order to construct predictions of global mean temperature, sea level rise, and regional climate. MAGICC is a coupled gas-cycle/climate model that has been used in all Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports to produce projections of future global mean temperature and sea level change.

LiveMAGICC http://live.magicc.org/ Online calculator

World Bank Open Data

World Bank Open Data: free and open access to data about development in countries around the globe. http://data.worldbank.org/    –  http://data.worldbank.org/open-government-data-toolkit

Environmental Modelling and Software,
An Elsevier Journal
Software Engineering Collaboratory for the Environment
8th International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software (iEMSs)
June 15-19, 2014, San Diego, California, USA
There is this one in New York:
And this one in London (as part of a wider Europe project)

http://www.ebmtools.org/
 http://www.ebmtools.org/mimes.html 
https://www.data.gov/ocean/page/ocean-tools 
https://www.data.gov/applications
 https://www.data.gov/applications?q=&currentpage=2

Mimes, short for multiscale integrated models of ecosystem services.

http://www.ebmtools.org/ http://www.ebmtools.org/mimes.html https://www.data.gov/ocean/page/ocean-tools https://www.data.gov/applications https://www.data.gov/applications?q=&currentpage=2 Environmental Modelling and Software

Environmental Modelling and Software, An Elsevier Journal

http://www.athanasiadis.info

Software Engineering Collaboratory for the Environment

http://eco.logismi.co

8th International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software (iEMSs)

June 15-19, 2014, San Diego, California, USA

There is this one in New York:

http://www.aircasting.org/

And this one in London (as part of a wider Europe project)

http://www.citizensense.net/

Ecosystem Management

http://www.unep.org/ecosystemmanagement/ Ecosystem Management