Deutschman et al.

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <div align="center"><center> <table border="1" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center"> <font size="4" face="Arial"><strong> Scaling from Trees to Forests:</strong></font> <font size="1" face="Arial"><strong><br></strong></font> <font size="2" face="Arial"><strong> Analysis of a Complex Simulation Model</strong></font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><font size="2" face="Arial"><strong> Douglas H. Deutschman,* Simon A. Levin, Catherine Devine, Linda A. Buttel </strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><font size="1" face="Arial"> D. H. Deutschman and S. A. Levin, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. <br> C. Devine and L. A. Buttel, Cornell Theory Center, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. <br> *Current address: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p align="center"> </p> <div align="center"><center> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td>The advent of high-speed computing has facilitated a revolution in the modeling of ecological systems. Models can now explicitly represent the complex interplay between the local environment and each individual in the community. Complexity is also the major liability of these models as it becomes increasingly difficult to understand the model. Visualizing a complex model is a key part of model exploration. Here is presented a series of analyses aimed at understanding the critical features controlling the dynamics of SORTIE, an individual-tree model of the forests of the northeastern United States. </td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p align="center"> </p> <p><FONT SIZE="1" FACE="Arial"> 18 February 1997; accepted 11 July 1997</FONT></p> <p align="center"> </p> <div align="center"><center> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center"> <font size="3" face="Arial"><strong> Editor's Note:<br> </strong></font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>In this issue of <A HREF="/content/vol277/issue5332/"><I>Science</I> Online</A>, Deutschman <I>et al.</I> describe computational simulations of forest dynamics using the model SORTIE. Visualization of these simulations is offered to the <I>Science</I> Online reader for critical evaluation of the performance of the spatially-explicit, individual-based model. The visualizations are embedded in a two-tier arbor: Quick View is a conspectus while Paper is the whole kit and caboodle. Is this a useful mode for communicating scientific research? <A HREF="mailto:editors@aaas.org">Let us know</A>. </td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p align="center"> </p> <div align="center"><center> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center"> <font size="3" face="Arial"><strong> Navigating this site:<br> </strong></font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>The site has been organized so that it can be viewed at several levels. The simplest is the <a href="tour_intro.htm">Quick View</a>. The Quick View provides a way to scan the site by giving some examples of the major points made in this paper. In order to read this site as a more traditional article, simply follow the hyperlinks in what we call the <a href="abstract.htm">Paper</a>. You can jump between the Quick View and the Paper at any time by using the navigation buttons to the left. For more information, see the help section of <a href="about.htm">About this Site</a>. </td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font color="#FF0000" size="5" face="Arial"><strong> *** Note about: Web Browsers ***</strong></font></p> <p>Color graphics and animations are key components of this work. We use both GIF and JPEG files for images and MPEG files for animations. Frames and tables are also used extensively. If your browser does not support these options or plugins download the new versions of either <a href="http://home.netscape.com/comprod/products/navigator/index.html" target="_blank">Netscape Navigator</a> or <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/ie/default.asp" target="_blank">MS Internet Explorer</a>.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><strong> <img src="btn/new_blueline.gif" width="420" height="10"></strong></p> <div align="center"><center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#000000"> <tr> <td>  </td> <td align="center" width="160"><p align="center"> <a href="tour_intro.htm"> <img src="btn/quickview_btn.gif" border="0" alt="Quick view" width="120" height="20"></a></p> </td> <td width="40"> </td> <td align="center" width="160"><p align="center"> <a href="abstract.htm"><img src="btn/paper_btn.gif" border="0" alt="Paper" width="120" height="20"></a></p> </td> <td>  </td> </tr> </table> </center></div> <p align="center"><font size="1"> <A HREF="http://www.sciencemag.org/misc/copyright.shtml">Copyright © 1997 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.</A></font></p> </body>