Digital Commons Network^™

Using System Dynamics For Environmental Modelling: Lessons Learnt From Six Case Studies, Sondoss Elsawah, Dagmar Haase, Hedwig Van Delden, Suzanne Pierce, Amgad Elmahdi, Alexey A. Voinov, A. J. Jakeman

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

System dynamics modelling includes a set of conceptual and numerical methods that are used to understand the structure and behaviour of complex systems, such as socio-ecological systems. A system dynamics model represents the causal relationships, feedback loops, and delays that are thought to generate the system behaviour. System dynamics is widely used for developing environmental models and decision support systems. However, little attention has been given to reflecting on modelling exercises in terms of the utility of system dynamics, its strengths and limitations, experienced during modelling and implementation challenges. These practical lessons are useful for guiding modellers on deciding when …

Using Social Psychology Theory For Modelling Farmer Decision-Making, James D. A. Millington

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Many agent-based models (ABMs) use typologies to classify diverse actors into few simplified conceptual categories (e.g., hobby farmer, commercial farmer) with uniform decision-making strategies. This approach usually assumes that a representative agent can belong to only a single conceptual category at any one time. However, Social Psychological Theory (SPT) asserts that individual actors' identities are constructed of multiple hierarchical self-concepts that drive decisions and behaviour. Identities may also change through time. Recent empirical and theoretical work has used this theory to investigate agricultural transitions and cultural change, but its use in an agent-based framework has yet to be explored. To …

An Application Of Data Mining To Fruit And Vegetable Sample Identification Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Geoffrey Holmes, D. Fletcher, P. Reutemann

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

One of the uses of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is in the detection of pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables. In a high throughput laboratory there is the potential for sample swaps or mislabelling, as once a sample has been pre-processed to be injected into the GC-MS analyser, it is no longer distinguishable by eye. Possible consequences of such mistakes can be the destruction of large amounts of actually safe produce or pesticide-contaminated produce reaching the consumer. For the purposes of food safety and traceability, it can also be extremely valuable to know the source (country of origin) of a …

Simulating Shrinkage As Shock? Insights From Existing Shrinkage Models, Dagmar Haase, Nina Schwarz

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Modellers and social scientists attempt to find better explanations of complex urban systems. Such explanations include development paths, underlying driving forces, and impacts of such systems but might also include shocks. So far, land-use research has predominantly focused on urban – means population and/or settlement – growth. However, a comparatively new challenge has arisen since urban shrinkage entered the research agenda of the land use science. Although the phenomenon of urban shrinkage has become increasingly widespread in Europe, the US and Japan, urban land use modelling has rarely addressed it neither in terms of process description and dynamics, nor in …

Applying The Inverse Distance Weighting And Kriging Methods Of The Spatial Interpolation On The Mapping The Annual Precipitation In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Drešković Nusret, Samir Dug

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Two methods of the spatial interpolation [Inverse Distance Weighting(IDW) and the Kriging], often used in the Geographical Information System (GIS),have been applied on the mapping of the annual amount of precipitation in Bosniaand Herzegovina. For that purpose the monthly precipitation data obtained frommeteorological network in the period 1960-2011. The validation of the analyzeddata has been carried out by using 20-meter resolution Digital Elevation Model(DEM). The methods, which are suitable for the spatial interpolation for Bosnia andHerzegovina area, particularly for the orographic regions, were analyzed. First, theIDW linear interpolator was considered. However, in the mountain region, thismethod can give unrealistic results …

Estimating Scale Effects Of Catchment Properties On Modeling Soil And Water Degradation In Benin (West Africa), A. Y. Bossa, B. Diekkrüger

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Distributed physically-based models require large amount of data,including detailed spatial information (e.g. geology, soil, vegetation). The relevanceof spatial information highly depends on the modeling scale and may control themodeling issue, mainly model parameters, which already depend on modelassumptions and target processes. In this study, scale dependent catchmentproperties were used to derive SWAT model parameters (for ungauged basins)using uncertainty thresholds and statistical approaches. Six individual sub-basinsof the Ouémé River (Benin) ranging from 586 to 10,072 km2 in size wereinvestigated, leading to the multi-scale modeling of discharge, sediment andnutrient dynamic. The Sequential Uncertainty Fitting approach was applied forcalibration and an uncertainty analysis. …

Steady-State Soil Organic Matter Approximation Model: Application To The Pasture Simulation Model, Romain Lardy, Anne-Isabelle Graux, Bruno Bachelet, David R. C. Hill, Gianni Bellocchi

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Spin-up runs usually used to initialize mechanistic biogeochemical models highly increase the time required to make simulations. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the use of linear and quadratic regression models, as an alternative way to initialize such models. This option is illustrated with the grassland ecosystem Pasture Simulation model (PaSim) under a range of climate, soil and management conditions. Coupled to the CENTURY model for the soil processes, PaSim simulates fluxes of C, N, water and energy at the soil-plant-animalatmosphere interface for managed grasslands at the plot scale. This study demonstrates the feasibility of approximating steady state …

Uncertainty Analysis Of An Integrated Water System In Southern England: Exploring Physical And Socio-Economic Uncertainties, Lan Hoang, Suraje Dessai, Richard Brazier

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Climate change risk assessment of water resources is fraught withuncertainty. Such uncertainty is not only the accumulation of individual uncertaintycomponents, but also the results of intricate interactions amongst the physicalenvironment and the socio-economic system. There is often a mismatch of modelrepresentation of these two systems: while uncertainty of physical factors has oftenbeen described using quantitative methods, socio-economic factors have largelybeen qualitative. In our drought assessment case study, we evaluate uncertainty inthe physical factors and demand responses in the context of climate change. Inparticular, we focus on structural uncertainty of the supply component and datauncertainty of the demand component. To explore …

Using A Fuzzy-Logic Approach To Model A Reservoir And Transfer System Under Climate Change Conditions, Josef Schmid, Ralf Ludwig, Markus Muerth

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Embedded in an international project, a management model is developed for assessing climate change impacts on the Water Transfer System in Franconia, Germany. Based on expert knowledge, standard rules operating this system are defined and implemented in a fuzzy-based modelling system. Demands of stakeholders are identified as being core functionalities in the model. First climate change impact assessments were done, driving the management model with outputs from a hydrological model forced by dynamical climate model data

Impacts Of Human Settlements On A Coastal Landscape: The Case Of Rio Verde Basin, Mexico, Cuitlahuac Hernandez-Santiago, Martin Volk, Joerg A. Priess

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Human settlements require natural resources to cover their needs for shelter, food, water, etc., which creates environmental impacts. This is particularly true for new rural settlements which obtain these resources from their nearby surroundings. Current analysis of land-use change has taken inhabited settlements as subject of study where population dynamics or socio-economic changes can be assessed. In the present study we analyse extent and patterns of land-use change found around four different types of settlements (permanent, intermittent, new and abandoned) in a coastal river basin in Mexico. The methodological steps of our investigation include analyses of a) multi-temporal land-use change, …

A Eu27 Database Of Daily Weather Data Derived From Climate Change Scenarios For Use With Crop Simulation Models, Marcello Donatelli, Davide Fumagalli, A. Zucchini, G. Duveiller, R. L. Nelson, B. Baruth

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Global Circulation Models (GCM) estimate future climate under scenarios of greenhouse gases emissions. Such estimates include several meteorological parameters but the two direct outputs are air temperature at earth surface and precipitation. The estimates are spatially downscaled using different methodologies, but it is accepted that such data require further processing for use with simulation models. Daily values of solar radiation, wind, air humidity, and at times rainfall may have absolute values which are not realistic, and/or the daily record of data may prove not to be consistent across meteorological variables. The final problem is related to the fact that GCM …

Adaptation Strategies For New Zealand Dairy Farms Under Climate Change Scenarios, Electra Kalaugher, Pierre Beukes, Anthony Clark, Janet F. Bornman

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Assessments of climate change for New Zealand indicate not only increasing average temperatures but also more climatic variability with moderate to high likelihood of increases in the frequency of extreme events such as droughts and floods. Detailed Whole Farm Model simulations of climate change impacts and potential adaptation options were undertaken for five representative, pasture based dairy farms located in the major dairying regions of New Zealand. First, tactical changes to current management practices were considered, followed by three strategic adaptations that introduced larger changes into the farming system: a reduction in intensity, the introduction of irrigation and an alternative …

Interdependence Of Mitigation, Adaptation And Sustainable Development, D. E. Reusser, Tabea Lissner, Luis Costa, Flavio Augusto Pinto Siabatto, Anselmo Garcia Cantu Ros, Jürgen Kropp

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Managing the interdependence of climate mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development requires a good understanding of the dominant sociotechnical and earth system processes that have determined the pathways in the past. Key variables include for example water and food availability which depend on climate and overall ecosystem services, as well as energy supply and social, political and economic conditions. Here we attempt an overview of existing model components and globally available data sources and look for gaps in existing approaches. This overview lies the foundation for building a model at the country level that integrates mitigation and adaptation with the ultimate …

Land-Use Scenario Modelling Based On Human Decisions – Combining System Dynamics And Cellular Automata, Steffen Lauf, Dagmar Haase, Birgit Kleinschmit

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Our paper introduces a combined model approach using system dynamics simulating regional drivers and cellular automaton representing local land-use dynamics. The model benefits from conclusive causal interrelations of detailed population dynamics, real household decision parameters, residential demand on prevailing residential land use types and residential supply as a result of dynamic housing parameters. Consequently, we can simulate growth and shrinkage processes to occur concurrently within an urban region. In this process, human decisions are covered in two ways, firstly, by bottom-up individual residential choice-making over different residential types and secondly by top-down decision making by planning authorities. The model is …

Species Distribution Modelling And Open Source Gis: Why Are They Still So Loosely Connected?, Anne Ghisla, Duccio Rocchini, Markus Neteler, Michael Forster, Birgit Kleinschmit

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

Species Distribution Models (SDMs) are correlative models that use environmental and/or geographical information to explain patterns of species occurrences. Those models are being used in various fields including climate change, invasive species research, evolutionary biology and epidemiology. Thanks to the availability of increasing computational resources, new methods continue to be developed. However, software packages that include the SDM algorithms usually focus on one or few methods, and have different degrees of integration with other geographical and statistical software. Specifically, SDM implementations are often standalone programs developed by university laboratories, either as extensions to statistical software. In few cases they are …

The Western Michigan University Magazine, Summer 2012, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• News Briefs
• Professor creates, expects to market virtual health counselor
• Online suicide prevention class to aid health professionals, general public
• WMU students don’t simply attend classes: • Engineering next-Gen entrepreneurs • Hands-on experience leads student toward research career
• Training health information technology managers
• Engineering college boosts student success in STEM disciplines
• WMU researchers win $1 million grant, inspire preservice K-12 science educators: WMU is one of just 50 research universities in the nation awarded this prestigious grant.
• Researcher has long career improving life for people with disabilities
• Children’s Trauma Assessment Center recognized nationally
• Once state-run, Michigan Geological Survey now at …

Obesity In The Geriatric Population, Kimberly A. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity has been a focus of medical and public health attention for decades; however, a relative paucity of information exists regarding the management of obesity in the geriatric population. It is known that standard, young adult recommendations to manage weight cannot be applied directly to the older population due to the potential of adverse health outcomes, but the most effective strategies are controversial (Heintze et al., 20 l 0). The goal of weight management is unique for this population and poses a challenge for health care providers when managing, treating, and counseling patients. With the current trends of obesity and …

Past And Future Changes Of Streamflow In Poyang Lake Basin, Southeastern China, S.L. Sun, H.S. Chen, W.M. Ju, Jie Song, J.J. Li, Y.J. Ren, J. Sun

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

To understand the causes of the past water cycle variations and the influence of climate variability on the streamflow, lake storage, and flood potential, we analyze the changes in streamflow and the underlying drivers in four typical watersheds (Gaosha, Meigang, Saitang, and Xiashan) within the Poyang Lake Basin, based on the meteorological observations at 79 weather stations, and datasets of streamflow and river level at four hydrological stations for the period of 1961-2000. The contribution of different climate factors to the change in streamflow in each watershed is estimated quantitatively using the water balance equations. Results show that in each …

Attitudes Toward And Behavioral Intentions To Adopt Mobile Marketing: Comparisons Of Gen Y In The United States, France And China, Rebecca Wells, Catherine E. Kleshinski, Terence Lau

Management and Marketing Faculty Publications

The rapid global diffusion of mobile marketing makes it increasingly important to understand cross-­‐cultural consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions toward mobile marketing as a promotional channel. By building on the previously published research of Altuna and Konuk (2009), this work investigates the attitudes and behavioral intentions toward mobile marketing of Generation Y consumers in the United States, France, and China. Based on this analysis, Chinese Gen Y have the most positive attitude toward mobile marketing, and their overall attitude is significantly more positive than the attitudes of French and American Gen Y groups. While American Gen Y's behavioral intentions are …

Reverberations Of The Victim's "Voice": Victim Impact Statements And The Cultural Project Of Punishment, Erin L. Sheley

Indiana Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Privacy For Social Networking, Connie Davis Powell

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

This article begins by considering the emergence of social networks as a major medium of communication and posits that the success of social networks is attributable to their users' willingness to share their information. Next, the article considers the expectation of privacy for users of social networks and whether such expectation is reasonable. In particular, the article discusses the privacy policies and legal terms governing the use of social networks, and tracks the evolution of such terms and policies as they slowly whittle away user control over time. The article then discusses public outcry regarding the disclosure of information contrary …

Investigating Epistemological Implications Of Geospatial Representation In The Making Of Histories Of The Pueblos, Using An Exploratory Mixed Methods Approach, Judith Van Der Elst

Anthropology ETDs

The claim that epistemological differences between western science and indigenous research methodologies are the roots of contention of the interpretation and construction of histories is investigated. An exploratory mixed methods approach is employed to test whether current systems of geospatial analysis and representation are suitable for understanding different ways of knowing, focused on the spatial domain as a fundamental cognitive domain. Recent studies indicate that spatial cognition is significantly different among speakers of different language groups and that spatial ontology is not universal across the human population, providing the theoretical underpinning for questioning the organizational principles of currently used systems …

How Not To Criminalize Cyberbullying, Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, Andrea Garcia

UF Law Faculty Publications

This essay provides a sustained constitutional critique of the growing body of laws criminalizing cyberbullying. These laws typically proceed by either modernizing existing harassment and stalking laws or crafting new criminal offenses. Both paths are beset with First Amendment perils, which this essay illustrates through 'case studies' of selected legislative efforts. Though sympathetic to the aims of these new laws, this essay contends that reflexive criminalization in response to tragic cyberbullying incidents has led law-makers to conflate cyberbullying as a social problem with cyberbullying as a criminal problem, creating pernicious consequences. The legislative zeal to eradicate cyberbullying potentially produces disproportionate …

The Albert Kahn Factory: Repurposing Historic Industrial Spaces, Hannah Loncharich

Historic Preservation Final Projects

No abstract provided.

Ornament Of The City: Forest Cemetery National Register Nomination, Kelly A. Johnston

Historic Preservation Final Projects

No abstract provided.

Water Current, Volume 44, No. 3, Summer 2012

Water Current Newsletter

November Law and Science, Practice and Policy Events at Cornhusker Hotel

NU, Food and Agriculture Organization Partner on Water and Food Security

Meet the Faculty: Larkin Powell, Ph.D., Tonya Bernadt

From the Interim Director: Moving into a Busy Fall Schedule

Urrea Breeds Drought-Resistant Edible Beans in Western Nebraska

Advisory Board Meets in June

UNL's National Drought Mitigation Center

UNESCO-IHE Students Make First Visit to University of Nebraska

Schild Puts Priority on Conserving Water In Home Landscapes

Is Your Water Affecting Herbicide Performance?

Water Cap and Trade A Problem Solver for U.S. Rivers?

Operations of the Central Nebraska Public Power and …

Spillover Effects Of Crimes In Neighboring States Of Mexico, Mingming Pan, Benjamin Widner, Carl E. Enomoto

Economics Faculty Publications

The recent surge in crime and drug-related violence in Mexico has had a profound effect on the Mexican economy. Thousands of businesses have closed in Ciudad Juarez, a city that borders the U.S., due to the violence that has erupted between drug cartels. It has been estimated by Rios (2007) that $4.3 billion of losses occur yearly to Mexico, due to illegal drug activity in the country. Using a spatial model, this paper analyzes the determinants of crime in Mexican states. It was found that high levels of total crime and drug-related violence in neighboring states of Mexico have spillover …

Grand Valley Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 1 Summer 2012, Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley Magazine

Grand Valley Magazine is a quarterly publication about Grand Valley State University produced by University Communications since 2001.

Description Of Supported Employment Practices, Cross-System Partnerships, And Funding Models Of Four Types Of State Agencies And Community Rehabilitation Providers, Kelly Haines, Joseph Marrone, John Halliday, Michael Tashjian, Martha Klemm, Susan Stoddard, Susan M. Foley

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

In 2005, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) awarded the VR Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) to the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston and its partners, InfoUse in Berkeley, California and the Center for the Advancement and Study of Disability Policy. In 2010, NIDRR provided supplemental funds to the ICI so that the VR-RRTC could include a focus on the provision of supported employment (SE) services. This SE research would focus on vocational rehabilitation (VR)agency partnerships with other state entities, and sources and models for long-term funding (extended services). The …

Asian American We: Civic Engagement Among Low-Income Young Adults, Michael Liu, Star Wang, Janice Wong, Loan Dao

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

This report describes a study of the civic participation of low-income Asian American adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five in the Boston area. It is based upon a mail survey with 100 respondents, focus groups, and organization interviews.

The study found that over 60% of the study population engaged in some form of civic participation, most commonly through fundraising or volunteer activities. Other activities included arts and culture with a social message, issues work, and electoral involvement. The area of greatest involvement was education. From the survey, civic engagement is correlated with female gender, higher education, and a …