New article on ecological modelling shows research gaps and approaches to solutions
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20 September 2024 - New scientific article: Project member Daniel Vedder and colleagues publish an article in the field of multidisciplinary modelling.
In order to understand the complexity of global crises such as the loss of biodiversity, approaches and insights from a wide range of disciplines are required. This also holds true for modelling work, which serves to better assess future ecological developments and the effects of different measures to mitigate biodiversity loss.
Daniel Vedder from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)/German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and his co-authors have reviewed the literature on computer science and other environmental modelling disciplines. They find that bringing together models from different disciplines is an undertaking that should not be underestimated and has so far received little attention from ecological modellers. However, they also identify five different approaches and compare them.
Their conclusion: "Our review shows that ecological modellers can learn from other modelling disciplines, but also need to invest in increased software engineering expertise, if they want to build models that can represent the numerous processes affecting ecosystems and biodiversity loss."