Environmental Modeling: A Practical Introduction
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Summary
Increasingly used to represent climatic, biogeochemical, and ecological systems, computer modeling has become an important tool that should be in every environmental professional’s toolbox. Environmental Modeling: A Practical Introduction is just what it purports to be, a practical introduction to the various methods, techniques, and skills required for computerized environmental modeling. Exploring the broad arena of environmental modeling, the book demonstrates how to represent an environmental problem in conceptual terms, formalize the conceptual model using mathematical expressions, convert the mathematical model into a program that can be run on a desktop or laptop computer, and examine the results produced by the computational model.
Equally important, the book imparts skills that allow you to develop, implement, and experiment with a range of computerized environmental models. The emphasis is on active engagement in the modeling process rather than on passive learning about a suite of well-established models. The author takes a practical approach throughout, one that does not get bogged down in the details of the underlying mathematics and that encourages learning through “hands on” experimentation. He provides a set of software tools and data sets that you can use to work through the various examples and exercises presented in each chapter, as well as presentational material and handouts for course tutors. Comprehensive and up-to-date, the book discusses how computational models can be used to represent environmental systems and illustrates how such models improve understanding of the ways in which environmental systems function.
Table of Contents
MODELS AND MODELING
Why Model?
The Modeling Process
Llyn Efyrnwy
Structure and Objectives of the Book
Resources on the CD-ROM
Typographical Conventions
VISUALIZING ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
Introduction
Creating Two-Dimensional Plots
Plotting Time-Series Data
Plotting in Three Dimensions
Printing Plots
Exporting Graphics Files
Command-Line Scripts
Summary
PROCESSING ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
Introduction
Structure of the Llyn Efyrnwy Precipitation Data
Creating and Running a Simple gawk Program
Using gawk to Process Selected Fields
Storing the gawk Program in a File
Using gawk to Process Selected Records
Controlling the Format of the Output
Redirecting the Output to a File
Visualizing the Output Data
Logical or Boolean Operators in gawk
Summary
WIND SPEED AND WIND POWER
Introduction
Description of the Wind Speed Data
Calculating the Annual Mean Wind Speed
Determining the Maximum Wind Speed
Exploring Wind Speed Variability
Wind Energy and Power
Summary
SOLAR RADIATION AT EARTH’S SURFACE
Introduction
Description of the Solar Irradiance Data
Analyzing the Observations
Modeling Solar Irradiance
Summary
LIGHT INTERACTION WITH A PLANT CANOPY
Introduction
Developing a Model of Light Interaction with Plant Canopies
A Two-Layer Light Interaction Model
Accounting for Multiple Scattering
Multiple Leaf-Layer Models
Summary
ANALYTICAL AND NUMERICAL SOLUTIONS
Introduction
An Exact Analytical Solution to the Two-Layer Model
An Iterative Numerical Solution to the Multiple Leaf-Layer Model
Bouguer’s Law and the Attenuation Coefficient
Summary
POPULATION DYNAMICS
Introduction
Unconstrained or Density-Independent Growth
Constrained or Density-Dependent Growth
Numerical Integration (or Stepping) Methods
Inter-Specific Competition
Predator-Prey Relationships
Summary
BIOSPHERIC FEEDBACK ON DAISYWORLD
Introduction
Description and Assumptions of the Conceptual Model
Formulating the Mathematical Model
Implementing the Computational Model
Sensitivity Analysis and Uncertainty Analysis
Summary
MODELING INCIDENT SOLAR RADIATION AND HYDROLOGICAL NETWORKS OVER NATURAL TERRAIN
Introduction
Visualizing Digital Elevation Data as an Array
Handling Multi-Dimensional Arrays in gawk
Determining Terrain Gradient and Aspect
Solar Irradiance on Sloping Terrain
Modeling Hydrological Networks
Summary and Further Directions
INSTALLING AND RUNNING THE SOFTWARE
Introduction
Some Basic Computing Concepts
Installing and Running gnuplot
Installing and Running gawk
GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
Preamble
Terms and Conditions for Copying, Distribution and Modification
No Warranty
GNUPLOT LICENSE
STANDARDS
International Standard Date and Time Notation
SI Units (Systéme International d’Unités)
SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISES
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
LIST OF SYMBOLS
REFERENCES
INDEX
Editorial Reviews
"...moves along step-by-step, detail-by-detail with numerous figures and examples to show students how to comprehend and construct a mathematical model using a real-world setting and data set … I plan to use Environmental Modeling In my own classroom and professional work and recommend this helpful book to other professors and modelers."
—Anthony J. (Tony) Sada in pollutionequipment.com
"… imparts skills that allow developing, implementing, and experimenting with a range of computerized environmental models. The emphasis is on active engagement in the modeling process rather than on passive learning about a suite of well-established models. The author takes a practical approach throughout … the book will be a valuable tool …"
—International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry
"… offers a clear, relevant, and practical book about modeling. … Each chapter is outlined at the beginning with a list of environmental topics and a list of relevant modeling techniques and methods to approach the topics. Publicly available software is used for all modeling exercises. Two appendixes explain how to use the software provided on the accompanying CD-ROM. Additional appendixes on standards, solutions to exercises, acronyms and abbreviations, and symbols provide additional information. ... Highly recommended... "
—N. W. Hinman, University of Montana, in Choice, Vol. 45, No. 2
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