Louis J. Gross, Steve Hartley, James Johnston, Frank J. Mazzotti, Leonard Pearlstine, Kenneth G. Rice
ATLSS is constructed as a multimodel, meaning that it includes a collection of linked models for various physical and biotic systems components of the Greater Everglades. The ATLSS models are all linked through a common framework of vegetative, topographic, and land use maps that allow for the necessary interaction between spatially explicit information on physical processes and the dynamics of organism response across the landscape.
Currently, two important new developments are taking place. First the ATLSS models will soon migrate to a Web-based availability, so that they can be run remotely for various hydrologic scenarios and a set of different assumptions. Second, a vegetation succession model is being completed, which will allow projection of changes in vegetation types across the Everglades landscape as a function of changing hydrology, fire frequency, and nutrient loading.
The ongoing goals in the ATLSS Program have been to produce models capable of projecting and comparing the effects of alternative hydrologic scenarios on various trophic components of the Everglades. The methodology involves: 1) a landscape structure; 2) a high resolution topography to estimate high resolution water depth across the landscape; 3) models to calculate spatially explicit species indices (SESI) for breeding and foraging success measures across the landscape; 4) spatially explicit individual-based (SEIB) computer simulation models of selected species populations; and 5) ability to plug into variety of visualization and evaluation tools to aid model development, validation, and comparison to field data. Included in this are numerous sub-projects for different species, vegetation succession, analysis of alternative approaches to developing high resolution, models which deal with estuarine systems, methods to allow users from a variety of agencies to access and run the models, and methods to enhance the computational efficiency of the simulations. The continuing general objective is to provide a flexible, efficient collection of methods, utilizing the best current science, to evaluate the relative impacts of alternative hydrologic plans on the biotic systems of South Florida. This is done in a spatially-explicit manner which allows different stakeholders to evaluate the impacts based upon their own criteria for the locations and biotic systems under consideration.
There are four projects under the ATLSS program:
1. ATLSS Model Use in CERP Evaluations, Model Testing and Extension to Web-Based Interface
2. Development of an Internet Based GIS to Visualize ATLSS Datasets for Resource Managers
3. Spatial Decision Support for Biodiversity and Indicator Species Responses to CERP Project Activities
4. Integrating Wading Bird Empirical Data into a Model of Wading Bird Foraging Success as a Function of Hydrologic Conditions
Models currently available are:
ATLSS SESI models: Cape sable seaside sparrow breeding potential index (Version 1.1) Snail kite breeding potential index (Version 1.1) Long-legged wading bird foraging condition index (Version 1.1) Short-legged wading bird foraging condition index (Version 1.1) Empirically-based fish biomass index (Version 1.1) White-tailed deer breeding potential index (Version 1.1) American alligator breeding potential index (Version 1.1) Everglades and slough crayfish (Version 1.1) Apple snail SESI model (Version 1.1)
Spatially Explicit Demographic Models: Cape sable seaside sparrow demographic model (SIMSPAR - Version 1.3) Snail kite demographic model (EVERKITE - Version 3.1) Alligator demographic model (Version 1.1)
Spatially Explicit Functional Group Models: Freshwater fish dynamics (ALFISH - Version 3.1.17)
GIS Animal Tracking Tool: Florida panther tracking tool (PANTRACK - Version 1.1)
Landscape Models: High Resolution Topography (HRT - Version 1.4.8)
Vegetation productivity (HTDAM - Version 1.1) High Resolution
Hydrology (HRH - Version 1.4.8)
U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)
P.O. Box 249118
Gross. L.J.
Gross, Louis J.
Gross, L. J., Wolff, W. F., Fleming, D. M., Nott, M. P., Comiskey, E. J.
J. Sanderson and L. D. Harris, eds.
Vegetation Succession Model America Crocodile Model Crayfish Structured Population Model
In addition, the ATLSS Program is supporting the development of a Decision Support System. This is to go beyond ad-hoc policy formulation to an analytical and computer-supported platform for effective management and policy-making. Part of this effort involves developing a GIS interface to the ATLSS models and providing network access to ATLSS models.
P.O. Box 249118
P.O. Box 249118
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Center for
Coastal Geology
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Henkel - Webmaster
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