Re: What is emergence?

[Matt Aylward]

Just my 2 bob's worth of input on this subject, this thread is critical to my
future reseach.
I have been quiet on the list for the last year or so -- too busy making a
living in contract seagrass mapping. However, I have just been awarded a three
year PhD scholarship to continue my SWARM research -- delight of delights!!!!!

Here are my aims etc... as submitted tp the scholarships board, they fit nicely
in this thread. I avoided the word "emergence" as a couple of old world PhD
commitee members seem to be allergic to the term.

  Aims 
To examine the relationships between shoot and patch-scale processes, and
the emergence of landscape-scale spatial patterns in seagrass systems in
Western Australia using spatial, statistical and agent-based modelling
tools.

  Background 
The Owen Anchorage region between Fremantle and Cockburn Sound supports
large, diverse and dynamic seagrass populations. For decades, these
populations have been the subject of empirical research, however, this
research has been unable to precisely identify and quantify the links
between dynamics at the scale of shoots and patches and those at the
landscape scale. Spatial patterns at the landscape scale cannot be fully
explained through the large body of empirical knowledge avaiable at this
time. 
During my honours research (1999), I developed a spatially-explicit
agent-based simulation program using the Swarm Simulation System. This model
incorporates concepts of "Complex Systems" modelling to simulation spatial
interactions and dynamics between several seagrass species and their
environment at the shoot scale (mm to metres), and the patch scale (1m to
100m).This type of computer modelling allows the use of empirical data to
examine the dynamics of highly complex systems of linkages and interactions,
and thus offers the opportunity of testing theoretical scenarios of seagrass
dynamics. Early trials have given encouraging results and it is hoped that
this approach can elucidate the links between local and landscape-scale
spatial patterns.

  Proposed Technologies 
This project will make use of pre-existing data available in the Botany
Dept. and elsewhere. We have already set up an extensive suite of computer
tools for spatial and agent-based modelling, and data analysis and
visualisation. During my honours year I developed a large (5000 lines of
code) agent based seagrass modelling system using the Swarm Simulation
System. An Intel based personal computer will be required to run the
modelling software.







-- 
           Matt Aylward    <address@hidden>
   Department of Botany, The University of Western Australia.
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