models, however, uncertainty estimation techniques could be employed to
calculate distributions of interest.
12.6.3 Role of Standards
Each of the models contained in the toolkit must be interoperable with all
other appropriate models in the toolkit as well as be able to communicate
with other toolkits. The toolkit must be able to incorporate new or modified models within the system as well as to link to provided data sets. For
these reasons, standards have a very important role. An explicit standardization approach provides for consistent and standardized use of ecological
models with known reliability in resource management and assists in
producing credible results.
Given the variety of resource decisions and the number of available tools
to address them, it is advisable to develop decision-specific components
within the modeler’s toolkit. For example, ecological-risk-assessment modeling tools required by the USEPA may have little overlap with modeling
tools that evaluate the effects of different timber-cutting strategies developed for the Forest Service.
Standards should be established to specify a minimal set of criteria for
determining whether a given model would be incorporated into the toolkit.
Important considerations for inclusion are transparency and accessibility of
documentation. Also, accurate, efficient, scientifically defensible linkages
must be made available
• To pass outside data sources to toolkit components
• To move information within models of the toolkit
• To provide results to other toolkits
The toolkit and each of its components should be upgraded periodically to
ensure that state-of-the-art models are being used.
12.7 Summary and Recommendations
Numerous benefits (see Sidebar 12.2) and challenges are associated with
the development of integrated computational systems, “toolkits,” in support
of environmental management and decision making. Decision makers,
stakeholders, and modelers all require different types of toolkit functionality. It is equally clear, however, that appropriate linkages between these
toolkits are required if one is to experience the most robust use of these
toolkits in environmental management and problem solving.
We recommend that the four toolkits discussed in this chapter (the
modeler’s, decision maker’s, stakeholder’s, and conceptual toolkits) be
adopted as the fundamental tools required for the environmental management and decision making. Of the four toolkits, the conceptual toolkit is the
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calculate distributions of interest.
12.6.3 Role of Standards
Each of the models contained in the toolkit must be interoperable with all
other appropriate models in the toolkit as well as be able to communicate
with other toolkits. The toolkit must be able to incorporate new or modified models within the system as well as to link to provided data sets. For
these reasons, standards have a very important role. An explicit standardization approach provides for consistent and standardized use of ecological
models with known reliability in resource management and assists in
producing credible results.
Given the variety of resource decisions and the number of available tools
to address them, it is advisable to develop decision-specific components
within the modeler’s toolkit. For example, ecological-risk-assessment modeling tools required by the USEPA may have little overlap with modeling
tools that evaluate the effects of different timber-cutting strategies developed for the Forest Service.
Standards should be established to specify a minimal set of criteria for
determining whether a given model would be incorporated into the toolkit.
Important considerations for inclusion are transparency and accessibility of
documentation. Also, accurate, efficient, scientifically defensible linkages
must be made available
• To pass outside data sources to toolkit components
• To move information within models of the toolkit
• To provide results to other toolkits
The toolkit and each of its components should be upgraded periodically to
ensure that state-of-the-art models are being used.
12.7 Summary and Recommendations
Numerous benefits (see Sidebar 12.2) and challenges are associated with
the development of integrated computational systems, “toolkits,” in support
of environmental management and decision making. Decision makers,
stakeholders, and modelers all require different types of toolkit functionality. It is equally clear, however, that appropriate linkages between these
toolkits are required if one is to experience the most robust use of these
toolkits in environmental management and problem solving.
We recommend that the four toolkits discussed in this chapter (the
modeler’s, decision maker’s, stakeholder’s, and conceptual toolkits) be
adopted as the fundamental tools required for the environmental management and decision making. Of the four toolkits, the conceptual toolkit is the
242
Jeffery P. Holland et al.