A component object model strategy for reusing ecosystem models

Abstract

Most ecosystem simulation models are large monolithic simulation programs that are machine dependent and difficult to reuse by other modelers. One way to effectively reuse existing ecosystem models is to break the models into smaller functional parts. These parts are then reconstructed into standardized model components which can be pieced together to form a new model with the desired characteristics. triplex is a flexible and customizable prototype model for forest ecosystem simulation that was constructed using three existing models: 3-pg, treedyn3, and century 4.0. Well-established parts of these models were rebuilt as Component Object Model (COM) objects with borland c++ Builder. These components can be integrated through triplex's intuitive user interface to form a customized new model. Model developers from different modeling environments (such as visual basic, visual c++, and delphi) can easily reuse these COM objects. triplex features a public information unit that supports various components working together. In contrast with most existing models, triplex also supports component overload, where two or more components that have the same or a similar role in the customized model, can work together. This further increases the flexibility of model reuse.