Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 11
A Comparison of CAPRI and SEAMLESS-IF
as Integrated Modelling Systems
Wolfgang Britz, Ignacio Pérez Domínguez, and Thomas Heckelei
Introduction
Integrated modelling systems address a wide range of topics by combining different
modelling tools. The main motivation for this integration in the context of policy
impact analysis is the fact that 'no model can serve all purposes' (van Tongeren
et al.
2001)
. Moreover, there exist many stand-alone bio-physical or economic
agricultural models with a longstanding record of application. Efforts on development
and validation - for large models, the latter is often only possible over a series of
repeated applications and their appreciation by academics and policy maker's
(Funtowicz and Ravetz
1994)
- might be saved by integrating these existing models
instead of expanding each single one in several directions.
This chapter tries to compare and assess the main characteristics of CAPRI and
SEAMLESS-IF as integrated modelling systems. With this purpose, their conceptual
and technical differences and similarities are identified. It is important to note that
a modified simulation engine of CAPRI is embedded in SEAMLESS-IF, and given
the name SEAMCAP. Within SEAMCAP, important modifications to the CAPRI
full stand-alone version are included. First of all, from a technical perspective, the
model is adapted to allow for communication with the family of models and data-
bases included in SEAMLESS-IF. Secondly, from a methodological perspective,
econometrically or exogenously defined response parameters in the regional
models of SEAMCAP are replaced by parameters derived from simulations with a
modelling chain (van Ittersum et al.
2008)
comprising the Agricultural Production
