Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 22.6 Transformation of the geographical structures of the sub-catchments and river segments
(
centre
) to the river network (
left)
and the soil compartments (
right
) within G-CIEMS (Suzuki
et al. 2004)
exposure of the population. In this case, the implication for the use of an IEM approach
was to provide more accurate exposure estimation with distribution information, using
generally available data sources. Suzuki et al. (2004) highlight with the
G-CIEMS
approach that a geo-referenced and spatially highly resolved all-encompassing approach
can result in higher (within the factor of 2-3) accuracy of exposure estimation as
compared to the results from a monitoring approach. Figure
22.6
illustrates the general
information flow within the approach.
G-CIEMS
is an example for a tighter coupling of
models and databases, using GIS to join data from different media (see Fig.
22.4
).
WadBOS
The information system
WadBO
S developed by RIKS (Research Institute for
Knowledge Systems, Buuren et al. 2002), offers support to decision makers in the
Dutch Waddenzee area, a coastal zone of tidal flats located in the southern North
Sea. This DSS features an integrated model representing the ecological and eco-
nomic functions of the Wadden Sea system. The submodels represent processes
operating at different time scales, varying from daily to annually, and they charac-
terize processes operating at three different spatial scales: the entire sea, 12 homo-
geneous compartments within the sea, and small cellular units. The
WadBOS
system
relies on GIS information for its inputs, but its models use economic, demographic
and ecological data from other sources. Its different temporal and spatial scales
correspond to the different organizational levels: e.g. the short-term, local impact of
the disturbance of breeding birds by boats on the lower, more detailed scale of
habitats projected on the higher temporal and spatial scale of management and
policy, to generalize effects per breeding season and different protection zones.
As RIKS developed
WadBOS
for laypersons, it is notably user-friendly. It has
remarkable interactive capabilities like many editable parameters. GIS capabilities
