Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Model Components and Database
SEAMLESS-IF integrates relationships and processes across disciplines and scales
which are conceptualized following the paradigm of hierarchy theory (Ewert et al.
2009)
. The relationships and processes at different levels of organization are mod-
elled as separate components. Figure
1.1
presents an overview of the various model
components for different systems levels and disciplinary domains. These compo-
nents include a modular, bio-physical simulation model calculating agricultural
production and externalities at field level (APES); a bio-economic farm model
quantifying the integrated agricultural, environmental and socio-economic aspects
of farming systems (FSSIM); and an agricultural sector model (CAPRI) providing
information on supply-demand relationships.
Globe
GTAP
GTAP
Earth System
Country/
Continent
CAPRI
CAPRI
LABOUR
LABOUR
Structural
change
Structural
change
Region
PICA
PICA
EXPAMOD
EXPAMOD
Landscape
Evaluation
Landscape
Evaluation
SLE
SLE
Landscape
FSSIM-AM
FSSIM-AM
FSSIM-MP
FSSIM-MP
Farm
Field
APES
APES
Social/
Institutional
Biophysical
Bio-Economic
Fig. 1.1
Schematic representation of model components developed or used in SEAMLESS for
the different systems levels (from field to global economy) and disciplinary domains (biophysical,
bio-economic and social/institutional): APES - cropping system model; FSSIM - bio-economic
farm model; SLE - Landscape visualisation tool; EXPAMOD - econometric model to link farm
and market analysis; Structural change - model to assess dynamics in farm structure; CAPRI -
agricultural sector model; GTAP - computable general equilibrium model; Landscape Evaluation:
procedure to assess social value of landscape; PICA: procedure to assess institutional compatibil-
ity; Labour: model to assess agricultural employment. Lines stand for scaling procedures, feed-
back mechanisms or links (Figure also used in Van Ittersum
2009)
