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Developing a strong conceptual model concerning hierarchical organization of the environment
Critical elements of the model for designing and implementation that investigation programs
which lead to identification of real organizational units should consider the following:
- complexity and non linear dynamics
- large scale of spatial organizations
- time constants in years decades, or even centuries
Designing and implementing extensive (regional and macroregional scale) and intensive
(sampling frequency, sample size) investigation programs for reliable data production
Development of homomorphic models for identification of each category of ecological
systems including human-dominated and human-created ones
They should preserve the structural and functional characteristics and time constants of
the real systems.
Formulation
- cause-effect hypothesis
Identification
- set of parameters, state variables, and driving forces
Formulating or Adapting
- packages of mathematical models
Long-term research projects
for each category or ecological
system
Integrated
Monitoring System
(IMS)
2
1
Knowledge Base
Data Base
FIGURE 2.12
Main steps in the development of information systems concerning the organization, dynamics, produc-
tivity, and carrying capacity of ecological systems. (1) In the first instance it is supplied with information produced by the
implementation of extensive and intensive research projects for system identification and that gained during critical analysis
and integration of the historical data. Each phase in a long-term research project provides new information as long as the
hypotheses are validated. The information concerns the structural and functional mechanisms, phenomena, and processes in
a given category of ecological systems. They help describe the dynamics, productivity, and carrying capacity of those systems.
(2) Data base is developed following the structure of the integrated monitoring system. The data concerning the dynamics
of key state variables make possible the assessment of the system status at any particular time.
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