Throughflow analysis: A stochastic approach

L. Matamba, C. Kazanci, J.R. Schramski, M. Blessing, P. Alexander and B.C. Patten

Ecological Modelling, 2009, vol. 220, issue 22, 3174-3181

Abstract: Ecological network analysis (ENA), predicated on systems theory and Leontiev input–output analysis, is a method widely used in ecology to reveal ecosystem properties. An important ecosystem property computed in ENA is throughflows, the amount of matter/energy leaving each compartment of the ecosystem. Throughflows are analyzed via a matrix N representing their relationships to the driving input at the boundary. Network particle tracking (NPT) builds on ENA to offer a Lagrangian particle method that describes the activity of the ecosystem at the microscopic level. This paper introduces a Lagrangian throughflow analysis methodology using NPT and shows that the NPT throughflow matrix, N, agrees with the conventional ENA throughflow matrix, N, for ecosystems at steady-state with donor-controlled flows. The matrix N is computed solely from the pathways (particles’ histories) generated by NPT simulations and its average over multiple runs of the algorithm with longer simulation time agrees with the Eulerian N matrix (Law of Large Numbers). While the traditional NEA throughflow analysis is mostly used with steady-state ecosystem models, the Lagrangian throughflow analysis that we propose can be used with non-steady-state models and paves the way for the development of dynamic throughflow analysis.

Keywords: Ecological network analysis; Individual based simulation; Network environ analysis; Lagrangian method; Network particle tracking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:220:y:2009:i:22:p:3174-3181

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2009.07.001

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