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Ecological Modelling 174 (2004) 1–3
Editorial
Lugano aftermath and contemporary advancesin Ecological Modelling
V. Krivtsov∗Department of Civil Engineering and Environment, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
Abstract
This paper contains an editorial to the special issue of Ecological Modelling devoted to the relevant materials presented atthe International Environmental Modelling and Software Society (IEMSs) 2002 meeting in Lugano, Switzerland. Fifteen paperswere selected for publication after rigorous peer review. Thus, this special issue consists of a set of high quality articles andreflects the contemporary advance of current research in Ecological Modelling. The work presented here relates to both aquaticand terrestrial ecology, as well as theoretical ecological analysis. In addition, one of the papers is devoted to specific case studiesof industrial ecology. Analysis of indirect effects is a recurrent issue of a number of papers presented here. A couple of papers aredevoted to the investigations of indirect effects specifically. However, examples of how Ecological Modelling has been helpfulfor eliciting indirect interactions could be found in other papers presented here as well.© 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Preamble
This paper contains an editorial to the special is-sue of Ecological Modelling devoted to the relevantmaterials presented at the International Environmen-tal Modelling and Software Society (IEMSs) 2002meeting in Lugano, Switzerland. The meeting wasorganised by IEMSs, Istituto Dalle Molle di studisull’Intelligenza Artificiale (IDSIA, a USI/SUPSIinstitute), SUPSI (University of Applied Sciencesof Southern Switzerland) and USI (University ofLugano), in cooperation with such interdisciplinarygroups and societies as MODSS (International Con-ference on Multi-objective Decision Support Systemsfor Land, Water and Environmental Management),International Symposium on Environmental Software
∗ Tel.: +44-2380-593013; fax:+44-2380-677519.E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected]
(V. Krivtsov).
Systems (ISESS), ERCIM (Ninth Workshop of theWorking Group Environmental Modelling), BindingEnvironmental Sciences and Artificial Intelligence(BESAI) and International Society for EcologicalModelling (ISEM).
The conference was devoted to the topic ‘IntegratedAssessment and Decision Support’, and became aninternationally renowned forum where a vast plethoraof high quality studies related to different fields ofenvironmental modelling were presented. A numberof talks related to important topics of mathematicaland theoretical ecology were presented during ple-nary and specialised scientific sessions. In particular,there was an ISEM session specifically devoted toEcological Modelling, and a special session relatedto questions of integration of separate submodelswithin a wider modelling framework. In addition,a considerable number of papers related to ecosys-tem modelling were presented in other conferencesessions, thus enabling a fruitful discussion between
0304-3800/$ – see front matter © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2003.12.039
2 V. Krivtsov / Ecological Modelling 174 (2004) 1–3
various branches of ecological and environmentalmodelling.
2. Modelling: ecological or environmental?
It is perhaps symptomatic that a conference on en-vironmental modelling had a special session devotedto Ecological Modelling. In my view, there is a lotin common between the notions of ecological andenvironmental, although the latter is broader than theformer. The distinction between the borders of eco-logical and environmental modelling is subtle, some-times artificial, and is often unnecessary. It shouldbe noted that although many ecological studies areconfined to purely biotic interactions, investigationsof relationships between populations of biologicalspecies and their environment using mathematicalmethods constitute an important part of Ecologi-cal Modelling. Distancing of the ecological insightfrom other areas of environmental sciences wouldbe unfortunate, considering the importance of abioticecosystem components and energy sources (e.g., solarenergy and energy of inorganic chemical compounds)for functioning of most natural ecosystems.
Furthermore, the conclusions reached by ecologi-cal studies may, with some adaptation, be applicableto a wider range of environmental processes. This isrelevant to such areas as oceanography, biogeochem-istry, global ecology, climate change, to name a few.In particular, application of ecological rules may beextremely valuable for planning and management ofindustrial and economic development, and is, there-fore, indispensable for sustainable development of hu-mankind in general.
Hence, it is paramount that the development of eco-logical and environmental modelling remains inter-twined, and proceeds in an integrated complimentarymode. It is worth pointing out, however, that the nextIEMSs conference scheduled for summer 2004 doesnot currently (i.e., in November 2003, at the time ofsubmission of this special issue to Elsevier) appearto have a provision to host a specialised EcologicalModelling session, which, in the author’s view, is agreat pity1.
1 This Issue now (i.e. late Jan 2004, the proofs’ stage for thisSpecial Issue) appears to be resolved—an Ecological Modellingsession now appears in the schedule of the next IEMSs conference.
3. Indirect effects
Analysis of indirect effects is a recurrent issue ofmany papers presented in this special issue. The cor-rect account of indirect relationships in natural systemsis indispensable for the proper understanding of thepatterns observed, and is, therefore, a key to the correctpredictions as regards future dynamics of ecosystems(Krivtsov et al., 2000; Krivtsov, 2001). Mathemati-cal methods, including simulation modelling, statisti-cal techniques, and methods of network analysis, havemuch to offer in this respect. A couple of papers pre-sented in this special issue are specifically devoted tothe investigations of indirect effects (Krivtsov, 2004;Nakagiri and Tainaka, 2004). However, examples ofhow Ecological Modelling has been helpful for elicit-ing indirect interactions could be found in other paperspresented here as well. It should also be noted thatmathematical modelling techniques may be especiallyuseful if used in concert on a range of ecosystems, thusintegrating the information obtained in a comparativetheoretical ecosystem analysis (CTEA). The develop-ment of the CTEA and of the methodology to analyseindirect relationships is ongoing, and it is hoped thatthe materials presented in this special issue will pro-vide a worthwhile contribution to these developments.
4. What’s in this issue
Seventeen papers were submitted for this specialissue. Each manuscript has been reviewed accordingto the standards of Ecological Modelling. The peerreview process has been very rigorous, and in manycases involved multiple rounds of re-evaluation byreferees. At least two referees (and in some cases up tofive) have kindly contributed to the evaluation processof any particular paper. The issue editor assessed eachpaper (and then repeatedly reassessed, i.e. accountingfor the referees’ comments, the authors’ responses,and the corrections made). Finally, 15 papers were se-lected for publication. Thus, this special issue consistsof a set of high quality articles and reflects the con-temporary advance of current research in EcologicalModelling.
Modelling of populations and ecosystems isparamount for enhancing our understanding of bio-sphere and solution of environmental problems. The
V. Krivtsov / Ecological Modelling 174 (2004) 1–3 3
present issue reflects some of the most recent advancesin these directions, and contains work related to bothaquatic (Dedecker et al., 2004; Marsili-Libelli, 2004;Robson and Hamilton, 2004; Romero et al., 2004;van Puijenbroek et al., 2004) and terrestrial (Colbertet al., 2004; Münier et al., 2004; Raventós et al., 2004;Richter and Seppelt, 2004; Svirezhev, 2004) ecology,as well as theoretical ecological analysis (Fath andCabezas, 2004; Itoh et al., 2004; Krivtsov, 2004;Nakagiri and Tainaka, 2004). This division, however,is not clear cut, and some papers may be put into morethan one category (for example, a number of paperstentatively classified as ‘terrestrial’ or ‘aquatic’ alsocontain an element of theoretical ecology). In addi-tion, one of the papers is devoted to specific problemsof industrial ecology (Krivtsov et al., 2004).
Acknowledgements
First of all, I have to thank all the organisers of theconference, and in particular A.E. Rizzoli. I am alsothankful to the coordinators of those sessions wherespecific papers published in this special issue werepresented. My special thanks go to L.T.H. Newham,who organised the ISEM session. I am also indebtedto the referees for all the constructive critiques andthe expert advice, as without their hard work this spe-cial issue would have been impossible. Suggestions ofD.W. Coble helped to improve this editorial.
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