Object-oriented support for modelling and simulation of individual-oriented ecological models

Opposed to traditional mathematical methods, the technique of individual-oriented modelling chooses distinguishable individuals as the basic entities of description. An ecosystem is described by all static and dynamic properties of the individuals involved in the system as well as time varying properties of the environment. Individuals change their state over time or due to internal and external events. Using the individual-oriented approach, programming skills are indispensable. Coding individual-oriented models is a complex, tedious and error prone task, which leads to a long list of problems. Many, although not all, problems may be solved using object-oriented software libraries. EcoSim is a C++-class library especially designed to support individual-oriented modelling and simulation of ecological systems. EcoSim brings together new advances in object-oriented discrete-event simulation and ecology. The process of implementing individual-oriented models is facilitated by providing classes for those parts, that are common to all such models. This covers among others the specification of static and dynamic properties of ‘individuals’, the specification of dynamically changing environments as well as support for ‘on the fly’ analysis and animation of generated data. Using EcoSim ecologists may therefore concentrate on the unique parts of their models.