Suppose

Suppose is the graphical user interface (GUI) for the Forest Vegetation Simulator. Suppose was developed by Nicholas L. Crookston, of the Rocky Mountain Research Station's Forestry Sciences Laboratory. Suppose runs in Windows 95/98/NT/2000.

The name "Suppose" implies a desire to comprehend what the future conditions would be given some proposed management plan or a proposed policy governing how management choices are made along the way. Suppose is an interface that permits proposed management plans or policies to be entered into the FVS system using methods more directly related to forest management than using the FVS keyword system directly.

Suppose 2 is the latest version of the Suppose graphical user interface to the FVS modeling system. Improvements in this latest version include the activation of previously inactive features, an updated menu that gives the user the ability to set default parameters, an updated main window that allows the user to see the simulation contents, and database connectivity options so that Suppose can automatically read FVS input databases. Suppose 2 will read previous data formats as well as the latest Database formatted datasets.

Uses for Suppose

FVS answers questions about how forest vegetation will change in response to natural succession, disturbances, proposed management actions, and how such changes affect ecosystem values. FVS provides a synthesis of scientific knowledge about important ecosystem components and a means for integrating the knowledge in a format useful to resource managers. Suppose goes further than FVS by providing a more powerful means to achieve FVS's application goals.

• Views analyses in the same terms as those used in building ecological models.
• Provides an interface to FVS that uses the terminology of forest resource management.
• Provides the ability to change (edit) already created simulation files using the same tools used to initially create them.
• Automatically adapts itself to geographic variants, including variants such as the British Columbia, Canada, variant that uses metric units.
• Automatically invokes the FVS program that contains the geographic variant and extensions needed to make the simulation.
• Can be customized to meet the needs of various institutions, agencies, and users. Most of this customization can be done without program recompilation.
• Provides for making simulations that contain many stands using the same tools used to make simulations of single stands.
• Provides for grouping stands in a simulation and treating the groups as entities.
• Provides all of the power of FVS, including and accessing all of FVS's features.
• Provides full featured on-line help with cross linkages to definitions and related help topics.
• Includes a built-in tutorial to aid in learning how to use the program.
• Provides a handy step-by-step guide to routine tasks.
• Provides tools allowing use of FVS without knowing the FVS keyword language nor remembering the details of keyword usage.
• Runs as a stand alone tool or cooperatively with other tools such as databases, Geographic Information Systems, spreadsheet programs, and word processors.

References

Crookston, Nicholas L. 1997. Suppose: An Interface to the Forest Vegetation Simulator. In: Teck, Richard; Moeur, Melinda; Adams, Judy. 1997. Proceeding: Forest vegetation simulator conference. 1997 February 3-7, Fort Collins, Co. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-GTR-373. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station.

Last modified: Friday, 18-Jan-2008 12:28:03 EST