Because most environmental decisions are spatially based, results will
typically be calculated and analyzed in a geospatially oriented computational environment. This environment, as a component of the modeler’s
toolkit, would have to provide a single point of access to grid-generation,
parameter-estimation, visualization, calibration, verification, and animation
techniques. In addition, it must provide access to many models and analysis tools. For example, assessment of the effects of a stressor on an exposed
ecological population could require the use of the following modeling and
assessment tools:
• Exposure assessment methods
• Fate and transport models
• Individual behavior models
• Methods to partition behavior between biota and media
• Chemical-toxicity-assessment methods
• Ecological population models
The selection of these tools would, in turn, require the consideration of the
type of stressor, temporal scale, spatial scale, land-use history, and biotic and
abiotic properties of the system being studied.
12.6.2 Enhancements/Developments Required
Clearly, numerous models in a toolkit could be applied to a given environmental decision. Therefore, it is important that the modeler’s toolkit have
a complete and intuitive human–computer interface that appeals to modelers. This toolkit would also provide a link to a database of model descriptions that could be queried for information regarding the set of models that
are most relevant for the problem at hand.
Another need within this toolkit is for self-documentation to transfer
modeling methods and assumptions to other toolkits. The ability to develop
an audit trail for assessments would highlight assumptions employed in the
modeling process and would export this information to other toolkits that
use modeling results. Modeling equations, graphical output, and variables
can be exported to a file format that can be interpreted by a number of different word processors and used to demonstrate assumptions to users of
the decision maker’s and stakeholder’s toolkits.This information would also
form the basis for the peer review of modeling and the preparation of the
final report.
Modeling and assessment uncertainty analysis is another development
that would provide very useful information to other toolkits. In theory,
uncertainties could be propagated throughout the models that are used in
order to establish an overall uncertainty or to perform a sensitivity analysis for the decision variables. In practice, these uncertainties are difficult
to quantify across different models. With sufficient standardization across
12. Role of Computational Toolkits in Environmental Management
241
typically be calculated and analyzed in a geospatially oriented computational environment. This environment, as a component of the modeler’s
toolkit, would have to provide a single point of access to grid-generation,
parameter-estimation, visualization, calibration, verification, and animation
techniques. In addition, it must provide access to many models and analysis tools. For example, assessment of the effects of a stressor on an exposed
ecological population could require the use of the following modeling and
assessment tools:
• Exposure assessment methods
• Fate and transport models
• Individual behavior models
• Methods to partition behavior between biota and media
• Chemical-toxicity-assessment methods
• Ecological population models
The selection of these tools would, in turn, require the consideration of the
type of stressor, temporal scale, spatial scale, land-use history, and biotic and
abiotic properties of the system being studied.
12.6.2 Enhancements/Developments Required
Clearly, numerous models in a toolkit could be applied to a given environmental decision. Therefore, it is important that the modeler’s toolkit have
a complete and intuitive human–computer interface that appeals to modelers. This toolkit would also provide a link to a database of model descriptions that could be queried for information regarding the set of models that
are most relevant for the problem at hand.
Another need within this toolkit is for self-documentation to transfer
modeling methods and assumptions to other toolkits. The ability to develop
an audit trail for assessments would highlight assumptions employed in the
modeling process and would export this information to other toolkits that
use modeling results. Modeling equations, graphical output, and variables
can be exported to a file format that can be interpreted by a number of different word processors and used to demonstrate assumptions to users of
the decision maker’s and stakeholder’s toolkits.This information would also
form the basis for the peer review of modeling and the preparation of the
final report.
Modeling and assessment uncertainty analysis is another development
that would provide very useful information to other toolkits. In theory,
uncertainties could be propagated throughout the models that are used in
order to establish an overall uncertainty or to perform a sensitivity analysis for the decision variables. In practice, these uncertainties are difficult
to quantify across different models. With sufficient standardization across
12. Role of Computational Toolkits in Environmental Management
241