Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 12
Individual-Based Models
Hauke Reuter, Broder Breckling, and Fred Jopp
Abstract This chapter will describe the category of models that represent the
behaviour and interaction of distinct individuals with specific properties. Models
of this type can become very complex, but have the advantage that model structures
operate on a low level of abstraction and represent ecological relations in a form
similar to empirical assessment. Individual-based models facilitate studies of emer-
gent properties, where characteristics of higher level entities like populations or
communities can be generated on the basis of single actions of particular indivi-
duals. They allow to simultaneously investigate energetic and physiological
aspects, behaviour, and relations to other organisms and heterogeneous environ-
mental structures. As a technical background, object-oriented programming is
frequently used for this model approach. This chapter introduces the conceptual
background and describes two case studies, one that investigates spatial aspects of a
predator-prey interaction, and a second one which depicts community interactions
of Northern Scandinavian small mammals with oscillating population dynamics.
12.1
Introduction
Individual-Based Models (IBM) represent single organisms and their environment.
They allow studying the implications of physiological processes, behavioural traits,
and environmental interactions synchronously. This offers a structurally unique
option for ecological modelling, because of the potential to join structural, func-
tional, quantitative and qualitative aspects in a way that closely conforms to
observation data and conceptual knowledge representation. In the context of eco-
logical modelling applications, we use the term agent-based models synonymously.
