Archive AGMODELS-L: file log9311, part 1/1, size 60215 bytes:

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Is anybody out there?

On Wed, 17 Nov 1993, Nick Stone wrote to <AG-EXP-L@vm1.NoDak.Edu>
> It seems that there is now a list out there for agricultural modeling!
> Here's an announcement that just came across my screen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you very much Nick for posting this important information.

Just last month I coauthored a paper "Requirements of the Systems
Simulation Research in the Agriculture of Developing Countries" with
Gajendra Singh. This paper is peer reviewed and is to be presented at
ISNAR workshop next week in the Netherlands. In that paper we have
emphasized the need for a listserv based discussion group in agricultural
systems simulation area. While discussing the need for such forum we write
as follows:

"Electronic mail based common interest discussion forums should be created
to facilitate discussion among those in the systems researchers and users
community who have access to global networks. There are many such forums
in agriculture related areas but not in the specific area of agricultural
systems to the best knowledge of authors. A Listserv based discussion
forum for professionals having interest in agricultural expert systems --
Ag-Exp-L@vm1.NoDak.Edu -- possesses some value for agricultural systems
research community. "

By the above paragraph, you could notice that the need was a strongly felt
and envisioned by many. The creation of AgModels-L is certainly a
significant development. I must thank Jerome Pier et al. who have created
this forum and has fulfilled the need. I hope this AgModels-L would serve
as a fruitful discussion forum for Agricultural Systems Simulation and
Modeling community all over the world.

--Pathak
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Bikash Kumar Pathak | Tel: (66-2)524 5485, 86 (Office) |
| Agric. and Food Engineering | Fax: (66-2)524-6200 |
| Asian Institute of Technology | Internet: pathak@emailhost.ait.ac.th |
| GPO Box 2754, Bangkok 10501 | ae1809@rccvax.ait.ac.th |
| THAILAND | |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

This new list developed out of the discussion in the American Society
of Agronomy to establish a peer-reviewed electronic journal for
publishing ag-models and model-related databases. Hopefully the
e-journal will be given preliminary approval soon. Tom

Tom Hodges Cropping Systems Modeler ___ ___
USDA-ARS / \_/ \
Rt. 2, Box 2953-A Telephone: 509-786-2226 | |
Prosser, WA 99350 \______/^\/
USA potato tuber
thodges@beta.tricity.wsu.edu thodges@asrr.arsusda.gov
=====================================================================
...photosynthesis makes the world go around... Mr. Potato Head

On Wed, 17 Nov 1993, B. K. Pathak wrote:

> "Electronic mail based common interest discussion forums should be created
> to facilitate discussion among those in the systems researchers and users
> community who have access to global networks. There are many such forums
> in agriculture related areas but not in the specific area of agricultural
> systems to the best knowledge of authors. A Listserv based discussion
> forum for professionals having interest in agricultural expert systems --
> Ag-Exp-L@vm1.NoDak.Edu -- possesses some value for agricultural systems
> research community. "
>

Dear Soils-L and Agmodels-l list subscribers,

Welcome to the list! The list has only been active since Tuseday
November 16, 1993 and already I have received many requests for
more information about the list. This is the first time I have started
a list so bear with me; I aim to please!

I have received questions about whether or not the list is archived;
it is. I will figure out how to get access to the archives and pass it
along to the list. I am still waiting for the listserv documentation!
If anyone is familiar with listserv please post this information. I
will try to keep track of Frequently Asked Questions and post answers
on a monthly basis.

People have also asked me about topics. At this point, the list is
global. Any topic pertaining to soil science research (soils-l) or
agricultural simulation models (agmodels-l) is fair game. As
the list grows I will ask for volunteers to host sub-topic lists if
the list deems this necessary. As far as soils-l, I envision division
of topics along thelines described by the Soil Science Society of
America (S-1=Soil Physics, S-2=Soil Chemistry, etc.) I would like
agmodels-l to be a forum for people who have had experiences (good,
bad, frustrating!) with models to share their trials and tribulations
with the list. Models such as Ceres-Maize, EPIC, WEPP, PRIZM, and many
others are all topics for conversation. In fact, a FAQ for the list
could be a compilation of models available and their features.
The listserv admin has told me that a digested list is an
option if traffic gets quite heavy.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jerome Pier. I am from
upstate N.Y. originally. I have a B.S. in Forest Biology from SUNY
College of Environmental Science and Forestry; an M.S. in Agronomy
from Cornell University College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and
an PhD in Soil and Water Science from University of Arizona. Between
my BS and MS I spent three years in the US Peace Corps as a Warm Water
Aquaculture Extension Agent in Mali and Central African Republic in
Sub-Saharan West Africa. I am presently a post-doctoral research
associate in the Biological Systems Engineering Department at
University of Nebraska-Lincoln working on Beta testing an agricultural
simulation model developed by the USDA-ARS at the Great Plains Systems
Research Unit at Ft. Collins, CO. My interests in soils science are
diverse although I am more interested in farming systems and
applications of technology to ameliorate water quality. My PhD
research dealt with Best Management Practices for Watermelons in
SouthWest US using buried trickle irrigation, tissue testing and soil
water tension monitoring. I am now working with the Management Sytems
Evaluation Area (MSEA) project as part of the President's Water
Quality Initiative. We are looking at using computer simulation models
(namely Root Zone Water Quality Model) for screening improved
management practices for irrigated field corn in central Nebraska.

Well, hope I haven't worn you out! I hope this list proves to be a
useful forum for anyone interested or actively involved in soil
science. Have a question? Post it to the list!

Sincerely,

Jerome Pier jp@unl.edu

>This may be too elementary for this list, but I'll be an initial reference
>point to start the discussion. Dick Richardson

>To: a16msafley@attmail.com (Marc Safley )
>From: dickr@utxvm.cc.utexas.edu (R. H. (Dick) Richardson)
>Subject: Re: Soil Quality/Ecosystem Quality
>Cc:
>Bcc:
>X-Attachments:
>
> I may be stating the obvious to you, but for the benefit of others who
>may not recognize the significance of your query, I'll supply a "non-answer."
>
>
> I'm sure you are familiar with a number of hydrological models in use
>by the SCS, but as far as I know none effectively address the vadose zone --
>surface to the saturated zone or water table. The vadose zone is critical in
>soil quality evaluations, particularly since this is the zone that "has life"
>in abundance in a healthy soil. Even the first few millimeters of the surface
>soil are critical. The community dynamics among fungi, bacteria, and
>cryptogams (not to mention earthworms, dung beetles, etc.) determine
>infiltration, aeration, and the ability of seedlings to emerge. These
>features are less important among cultivated plants since the seedlings are so
>vigorous and tilling does some of what Mother Nature can also do. Mother
>Nature's efforts are a critical aspect among range grasses and forbs, but will
>become more so as we move beyond no-till to include chemical free agriculture.
> Wes Jackson's efforts at The Land Institute, for example, could lead to a
>perennial harvestable grain in such a community of plants that depended on a
>healthy soil vadose zone.
>
> It sounds as if you are trying to address one of the most important
>issues that, in my opinion, has been overlooked in research and management
>monitoring of various treatments we've been applying to soil for half a
>century or more. I further believe you would do all of us a great service if
>you keep us posted on what your efforts produce. Good Luck!
>
>
>>'I would appreciate hearing from anyone on the net who has information
>>regarding science-based criteria for measuring soil quality in its many
>>facets. Our agency is interested in how these criteria can be used to
>>measure effectiveness of resource management systems and ecosystem
>>management strategies.
>>
>>If you have done research in this area or know of research in this area
>>please contact me either via this network or via fax at 202-720-2646.
>>
>>Thank you for your help.
>>
>> Marc Safley
>> Assistant Director
>> Ecological Sciences Division
>> Soil Conservation Service
>> P.O. Box 2890
>> Washington, DC 20013
>>
>> voice phone:202-720-3921
>
R. H. (Dick) Richardson
Zoology Dept.
Univ. of Texas
Austin, TX 78712

email: dickr@utxvm.cc.utexas.edu
office: 512-471-4128
home: 512-476-5131
FAX: 512-471-9651

Dear Agmodels-l subscribers,

I just queried the listserv for recipients and find that there are
presently *106* subscribers to agmodels-l. The list has been in existence
for only 2 days! Now we just need somebody to get the ball rolling. It
sort of feels like we are at a high school prom and everyone is
waiting for somebody to make the first move...

One thing that I have enjoyed on another recreational list I subscribe
to is having new subscribers post a brief introduction describing
themselves. A suggested format would be:

Name:
Affiliation:
Areas of Interest:
Email address:
Question(s) which is most on your mind at this moment:

Since the list is being archived, we will begin to build a database of
persons interested in ag. simulation modelling which can be accessed by
subscribers. The auto-biography is _voluntary_ (but is a good ice
breaker!)

Care to Dance?

Sincerely,
Jerome Pier List Owner
jp@unl.edu

Dear Agmodels-L and Soils-L subscribers,

Dick Henderson posted a request dealing with Soil Quality in the
Vadose Zone and the lack of hydrological models which (attempt) to
simulate processes in this zone. I am working with a model developed
by the Great Plains Systems Research Unit of USDA-ARS (Root Zone
Water Quality Model) which is designed to simulate hydrologic
processes, plant growth, soil chemistry, nutrient dynamics and
management practices in the root zone. It is, as the name suggests, a
water quality model and deals with nitrogen and pesticides at the
moment. It is still in beta (some say alpha) testing and could use
some work but shows promise in allowing simulation of alternative
management practices for reducing ground and surface water pollution.

As far as Soil Quality, there is a Soil Science Society of America
committee (S372.34) named Defining Soil Quality for a Sustainable
Environment which is tackling this complex issue as we speak. There is
a committee member here at Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln. His name is John
Doran (jdoran@unl.edu) and he might be able to give you an idea on
where the committee is headed. I will try to interest him in this
list. Be gentle with him since he just returned from sabbatical at
Rodale and is trying to get back into the swing of things.

Hope this helps,

Jerome Pier jp@unl.edu

Following Jerome's request I would like to introduce myself :

Gerrit Hoogenboom
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Georgia Experiment Station
The University of Georgia
Griffin, Georgia

GHOOGEN at GAES.GRIFFIN.PEACHNET.EDU

I am one of the developers of the crop simulation models SOYGRO, PNUTGRO
and BEANGRO, which are currently being combined into one generic grain
legume model CROPGRO.
I am also involved in the development of DSSAT V3 (Decision Support System
for Agrotechnology Transfer) which includes both the CERES and GRO
family of models, together with data base management programs and
application programs.

In addition I am interested in linking crop models with Geographic
Information Systems (GIS).

I manage an automated weather station network for Georgia, which
currently includes 16 stations.

I will be glad to respond to any questions with respect to the GRO
models or DSSAT.

NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS : GHOOGEN AT GAES.GRIFFIN.PEACHNET.EDU !

DR. GERRIT HOOGENBOOM | DEPT. OF BIOL. AND AGRIC. ENG.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | GEORGIA STATION
INTERNET : GHOOGEN @ | THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
GAES.GRIFFIN.PEACHNET.EDU | GRIFFIN, GEORGIA 30223-1797 USA
DIALCOM: 157:AGS634 PHONE: (404)-228-7216
FAX: (404) 228-7218

My name is Peter Cox. I work for the CSIRO Division of Tropical
Crops and Pastures in Australia. I am based in Toowoomba in
southeast Queensland with the Agricultural Production Systems Research Unit.
Previously, I worked on the SIRATAC (computer-based pest management)
project with the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry.

APSRU is developing a cropping systems operational research environment
called APSIM. This incorporates a number a crop models as well as
modules dealing with erosion, residues, nitrogen, water balance etc.

My own interest is in farming systems research, especially the use of
models to support participatory on-farm research and policy development.

Peter Cox
Agricultural Production Systems Research Unit
PO Box 102, 203 Tor Street
Toowoomba
Queensland 4350 Australia

Ph: (076) 314298
Fax: +61 (076) 332678
Email: peterco@apsrusg.sth.dpi.qld.gov.au

Jess Lowenberg-DeBoer
Dept. of Agricultural Economics
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Email: Lowenberg-DeBoer@AGECON.PURDUE.EDU

My interest in agricultural modeling comes from a desire to better
understand farming systems. I farmed in Iowa in the mid1970s. I have
been involved in research in the U.S. Midwest and in West
Africa. I spent 4 years in the Republic of Niger as part of a farming
systems project and return frequently as campus coordinator of a
similar project in Burkina Faso.

I try to use the tools appropriate to the problem. Thus, I have
experience with many methodological appoaches, including simulation,
representative farm modeling, on-farm-trials and rapid appraisal
surveys. I am concerned that the modeling be tied to on-farm
experience.

A large part of my current work is with national agricultural
research institutions in West Africa. I am interested in modeling
applications that can respond to the needs of those institutions. To
me this means relatively simple models that can be supported by local
means and that can be rapidly adapted to respond to the urgent needs
of their people. I have been using small representative farm linear
programming models and spreadsheet based plant growth simulation with
some success. I would appreciate hearing about experiences in this
area.

J. LOWENBERG-DEBOER
Dept. of Ag. Economics
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1145
Tel. (317) 494 4230
Fax (317) 494 9176
TELEX 276147 PU LAF

help

Tim Griffin
Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Orono Maine

tgriffin@umce.umext.maine.edu

I have several interests in ag models. Having worked on the
SUBSTOR-Potato simulation model at Michigan State, I am interested in
simulations models of crop growth and development, especially as
individual crop models are combined to allow simulation of cropping
systems. I am also interested in decision-making models as they
relate to technology adoption; and models that address short-
and long-term effects of soil management practices (eg. changes
in nutrient availability and soil physical properties).

Jon W. Zeitler wrote:
>
> help

You'll have to be more specific.
Dwight

Dwight S. Fisher
USDA-ARS Phone 919 515 7597
Crop Science Dept. FAX 919 515 7959
Box 7620 EMail dwight_fisher@ncsu.edu
North Carolina State Univ.
Raleigh, NC 27695

Forwarded message:
> From root@crcnis1.unl.edu Fri Nov 19 10:18:57 1993
> Errors-To: jp@unlinfo.edu
> Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 10:36:42 -0600
> Message-Id: <9311191634.AA21331@sparc03.cc.ncsu.edu>
> Originator: agmodels-l@unl.edu
> Errors-To: jp@unlinfo.edu
> Reply-To: <agmodels-l@unl.edu>
> Sender: agmodels-l@unl.edu
> Version: 5.5 -- Copyright (c) 1991/92, Anastasios Kotsikonas
> From: dsfisher@unity.ncsu.edu
> To: Multiple recipients of list <agmodels-l@unl.edu>
> Subject: Re: your mail
>
> Jon W. Zeitler wrote:
> >
> > help
>
>
> You'll have to be more specific.
> Dwight

Actually, Jon will have to send his request to listserv@unl.edu and
not to the discussion list. This is a common mistake.

Jerome Pier jp@unl.edu

>
>
>
> Dwight S. Fisher
> USDA-ARS Phone 919 515 7597
> Crop Science Dept. FAX 919 515 7959
> Box 7620 EMail dwight_fisher@ncsu.edu
> North Carolina State Univ.
> Raleigh, NC 27695
>
>
>

I work for the USDA-ARS at the WSU experimentation station
at Prosser, Washington developing cropping system simulation
models for the irrigated potato rotation. I have worked
with a wide range of crop growth models, from the empirical
to pretty mechanistic. My current main emphasis is the
SIMPOTATO growth and yield simulation model. It is a
climate-driven growth simulation model with major emphasis
on carbon, nitrogen, and water relations. It is suitable
for scheduling water and nitrogen applications in real time,
for estimating water and nitrogen movement below the vadose
zone under various management systems, for estimating yield
response to management systems, or for estimating yield
potential and water requirements for a growing region. The
model and a MS-DOS graphics library are available with FTP
from ftp.tricity.wsu.edu in the pubs/simpotato directory.

I am also the listowner of a moderated internet discussion group
on "Principles of Sustainable Agriculture" at
sustag@beta.tricity.wsu.edu and (with Dave Hannaway) I am trying
to organize a symposium at the next American Society of Agronomy
meeting on Global Networking.

I may be reached at thodges@beta.tricity.wsu.edu

Tom

Tom Hodges Cropping Systems Modeler ___ ___
USDA-ARS / \_/ \
Rt. 2, Box 2953-A Telephone: 509-786-2226 | |
Prosser, WA 99350 \______/^\/
USA potato tuber
thodges@beta.tricity.wsu.edu thodges@asrr.arsusda.gov
=====================================================================
...photosynthesis makes the world go around... Mr. Potato Head

Hi there:

the following is info i picked from the Nov. 9 issue of 'Agronomy News'
which was put out at last weeks' meetings of the Am. Soc. of Agronomy,
Soil Science Soc. of America (SSSA), and the Crop Science Society of
America.

i met one of the organizers of the upcoming International Congress of
Soil Science (ICSS) and promised i was going to pass on the info about
an offer to subsidize registration costs for graduate students and
retirees.

the info i am forwarding is retyped verbatim (well, almost) as it appeared
in the 'Agronomy News'. feel free to pass the info on.

Katim S. Touray

Dept. of Soil Sci.
Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison

---------------- Start of forwarded info --------------------------

ICSS offers reduced cost registration

The organizing committee of the 1994 International Congress of Soil
Science is offering a limited number of reduced-cost registrations to
full-time graduate students and retired scientists. The committee is
making the $200 registration on a first-come, first-served basis for the
10 to 16 July congress in Acapulco, Mexico.

Those taking advantage of the special offer would not receive conference
proceedings. Preference would be given to retired peer professionals and
graduate students presenting papers, although all retireds and full-time
graduate students may apply.

Candidates should send a letter of request or a short (up to two pages)
vitae by 31 Dec. 1993 to:

David M. Kral
ICSS Special Registration Fee
677 S. Segoe Rd.
Madison WI 53711-1806

Grad students should have their major advisors certify their full-time
status and indicate whether they are presenting papers at the congress.
The SSSA Executive Committee will screen applicants and notify the ICSS
organizing commitee of the successful applicants.
SSSA President Darrell Nelson, President-Elect Larry Wilding, and Past
President William McFee request maximum assistance in spreading the word on
this late-breaking matter.

---------------------- End of forwarded info ------------------------

Agmodels and Soils subscribers:

Sorry about the errant post earlier today---let's just say I hadn't made
the coffee yet.

Following the introduction request:

Jon W. Zeitler
National Weather Service--Southwest Agricultural Weather Service Center

Background:

B.S. in Meteorology from Iowa State (1988), where I worked as
an undergraduate assistant for Extension Climatologist Dr. Elwynn Taylor.

M.S. in Meteorology from Texas A&M (1991) where I served as the assistant
in the State Climatologist's Office with Prof. John Griffiths. My thesis
topic was an examination of statistical relationships between concurrent
temperature and dew point in Texas, with the goal of better understanding
the frequency of high temperature/high humidity for biological heat stress
and energy systems design.

I served as Regional Climatologist at the Southeast Regional Climate Center
in Columbia, SC from 1991 to April 1993. Some of the projects I was involved
with were an inventory of soil monitoring stations (soil temp., soil moisture,
etc.) for the Southeast U.S.; development of a menu-driven climate information
system and databse for the Southeast (CIRRUS); and production of weekly,
monthly, and annual climate summaries.

I returned to College Station in April to work at the NWS-SW AG WX Service
Center, and pursue my Ph.D. in Meteorology. The Ph.D. topic is still open
at this time, but I'm down to choosing among a few interesting projects.

The NWS-SW AG WX Service center is one of four operated by the NWS, the
others being at Purdue, IN; Auburn, AL; and Stoneville, MS. Our major focus is
meteorological support for agricultrual producers and researchers, and in
the case of our office, the service area is Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
We are co-located with the Soil and Crop Science and Entomology Depts. at
Texas A&M. We are involved in a number of projects with both departments,
and we also work closely with the Meteorology Dept. through the NWS
Cooperative Institute for Applied Meteorological Studies.

My personal interests include:

1. Methods and strategies for collection/analysis/dissemination of
meteorological data and information for agricultural users.

2. Identifying and installing appropriate crop models for operational
use as part of our office's advisory program.

3. Soil moisture and evaporation from a "meteorologist's" perspective

I would welcome any suggestions/information

Sincerely,

Jon Zeitler

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++ Jon W. Zeitler zeitler@ariel.tamu.edu ++
++ ++
++ NWS-SW Ag. Weather Service Center Voice: 409-846-3216 ++
++ Room 341, Heep Center FTS: 409-260-9384 ++
++ Texas A&M University Fax: 409-845-0456 ++
++ College Station, TX 77843-2478 ++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As long as we're all introducing ourselves...

Unlike most other introductions I've seen so far, I'm not an
agronomist (is that the correct description?) but rather an
economist. I spend most of my time working on land degradation
problems; hence my interest in this list. Observed data, whether
cross-sectional or time series, are very difficult to use for a
variety of reasons (I'd be happy to elaborate if there's interest) -- and that's
assuming you can even get them. Agricultural modelling offers the hope of being
able to push the analysis further. Then again, most models that I have seen are
difficult to use in the developing country contexts that I normally work in because
the information required to calibrate them simply isn't available. I am simply
not going to have data on various soil properties available for each successive
10-cm layer. Moreover, the crop growth models that are embedded in these models
tend not to reflect the agro-ecological conditions encountered in many of my study
sites, nor the practices employed by farmers. So I'm particularly interested in
models that use available or easily (cheaply) collected data and can be adapted to
reflect actual farming conditions in developing countries. In most instances, the
key from my perspective is not to get a perfect answer, accurate to three decimal
points, eventually, but a reasonably reliable estimate today.

So I'm afraid I won't have much to contribute on the development of
these tools, but I will occasionally pop in with the perspective of
someone interested in using them in real-world situations.

All the best,
Stefano
---
Stefano Pagiola
Food Research Institute, Stanford University
spagiola@leland.stanford.edu (NeXTMail encouraged)
spagiola@FRI-nxt-Pagiola.stanford.edu (NeXTMail encouraged)

Dear Agmodels-l members,

I am enjoying the introductions I have been seeing and I hope that
others are finding this 'exercise' useful. Some interesting questions
have been posted by two agricultural economists who are using models
to look at management options in developing countries. As a
digression, I strongly encourage participation by economists,
sociologists, statistians, engineers, etc. in the agmodels-l list
discussion. The more disciplines the better. Back to the subject.

There is a desire, quite reasonable, for models which are not data
intensive and will allow for comparisons between farming systems on a
relative scale; farming system a had 25% greater yield with only 10%
more inputs than farming system b, as an example. I personally feel
that this is always the safest game to play with models. Granted my
experience with models is limited but from what I have seen, we are a
long way off from a completely predictive model if such a beast is
even attainable. On the other hand, as the amount of information about
a soil-water-air-crop system increases the closer one may be to
approximating 'real' life conditions. The model I work with has three
levels of input data intensity: from default tables of soil series to
detailed hydrologic information. Clearly, this model is quite
sensitive to the hydrologic inputs and I assume many are. The numbers
out are only going to be as good as the numbers in. As long as you are
cautious with how you interpret the output I think that simple models
can be quite useful for comparisons.

The goal of a completely mechanistic model (sci-fi?) is a model which
will not have _any_ 'fudge factors'; will not need to be calibrated
for a specific crop, site, soil type, etc. and will give reasonable
results. Of course by the time you know enough about the system to
supply all the parameters necessary for such a model, you probably
already know most of the answers!

These are my opinions and I hope they stir up some debate. Hopefully
some of these models will allow developing countries to not make some
of the mistakes made in the developed countries' agricultural systems.
Waste is a terrible thing to mind!

Jerome Pier jp@unl.edu

Dear List subscribers,

A subscriber recently asked if the list could be digested ( if chewed
thouroughly!) i.e. all the mail messages sent out in one shot instaed
of immediatly bounced to your mail box. I finally got the man pages
for the listserv software and it appears that a digested format can be
had on an individual basis.

try this:

send email to listserv@unl.edu (no subject) with the text:

set agmodels-l mail digest

and soils-l list subscribers would of course substitute their list
name in place of agmodels-l above. Try it and let me know what
happens!

Also, I mentioned that the lists are being archived. You can get at
the archives by sending the following command to listserv@unl.edu

index

and this should give you a list of variuos archives and their paths
whereupon you would use

get archive path-to-archive file

I will explore these commands and post my experiences next week.

Jerome Pier jp@unl.edu

Gordon Couger
I am a software specialist for Biosystems and Ag Engineering
here at Oklahoma State. I have a BS in Animal Science 1968.
I farmed and ran cattle in Southwestern Oklahoma and
North Texas most of my life. I went broke farming in 86 and
turned to computer programming as a way to make a living.

While still farming I worked with several models mostly
economic. The were cost and return models of cotton,
small grain, stocker-feeder and cow calf operation. I also
did a model simulating a farming operation that later proved
accurate I went broke. I should have paid more attention.

I am currently working on a run off model that identifies
stream channels from point elevation data with the hope
of using this on GIS data as well as micro scale rill formation.

I have also toyed with some models of forest fires and prices.

Another area I do work in is embedded computer programming.
We use mostly the Motorola 68HC11. We are currently working
with a smart sprayer, a number of controllers and scales.

Gordon

Gordon Couger
Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering
Oklahoma State Universtiy Stillwater OK

Just a note to introduce myself.

I am a freelance scientific programmer and specialise in
crop models, mainly wheat and barley. I have mostly worked
on a bureau type model as a service to farmers in the uk
via a crop consultancy. Recently I have developed a
program for wheat which is intended to run on PCs and be
very easy to use. The intended market for such a program
would be in education, training or just interested farmers
and crop consultants. A similar potato model is being
developed.

Steve

|---------------------------------------------------------|
| Dr Stephen H. Binns Freelance system designer |
| 54 Park Road specialising in |
| Sproatley mathematical models in |
| Hull agriculture. |
| HU11 4PG |
| tel/fax +44 482 813711 |
| internet: sbinns@cix.compulink.co.uk |
|---------------------------------------------------------|

To introduce myself I herewith enclose my business-card......
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sincerely Yours, dr Meindert D. de Jong | seeking a
E-mail: Vlinders@RCL.WAU.NL | telejob
Voice: (+31) 8370 21937 FAX: (+31) 8370 23110
Photo:de Jong e.a.'90. Risk Analysis for Biological Control.
A Dutch case study in biocontrol.. Plant Disease 74: 189-194.
Letter to the Editor '92: Risk Assessment for the Application
Biological Control of Forest Weed by Fungus.Risk Analysis 12:

The Computers in Teaching Centre for Land Use and Environmental
Sciences (CTI-CLUES) was established in 1990 to promote the use of
computers/courseware in agriculture, forestry, soil science, environmental
sciences, rural economics, and all related land use disciplines. We provide
an information service for lecturers in the UK and abroad.

As part of this service I am currently compiling the 3rd edition of our
directory of resources for CBL in those subjects. IF YOU HAVE
PRODUCED OR KNOW OF ANY MODELS/COURSEWARE AVAILABLE
FOR TEACHING LAND USE OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES I WOULD
BE HAPPY TO INCLUDE IT IN THE DIRECTORY.

If you want to enter courseware, please fill in the following form or send
details comparable information to address below.

Software title

Author

Publisher

Address

Description

Computer PC/Mac/ Cost #

Known Users

Your name

Address

Phone no.

Thank you for help in this important task. Please return all forms to:

Jacqui Nicol
CTI-CLUES
William Guild Building
Kings College
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
AB9 2UB

Tel: 0224 273754
Fax: 0224 - 273755
Email: j.nicol@uk.ac.aberdeen

Hello everybody!
My name is Joerg Kaduk and I'm currently working at the Max-Planck-Institute in
Hamburg on a PhD. I'm trying to develop a global vegetation model describing
the carbon dynamics in the land biosphere. Before coming to Hamburg I studied
Mathematics in Frankfurt/M.
In my work I started out with the HRBM by G.Esser and now I'm about to develop
a somewhat more prognostic formulation for NPP calculation and plant phnology
Currently I'm using quite traditional approaches like a hyperbola for the light
dependence of photosynthesis, a parabola for the temperature dependence,
AET/PET for the soil moisture dependence, a simple water bucket model,
Beer-Lambert's for light attenuation, and an Arrhenius relationship for res-
piration. Finally I'm considering only 16 biomes -as they are resulting from
the BIOME model of C.Prentice et al. I'm well aware that this is something
like the minimal (or less) configuration for trying do describe the carbon
dynamics.
So my interest in the agmodels and soils list is very much to learn something
about the models used there and trying to find out what are the most essential
variables in these models.
If anybody is interested in discussing these topics I'd be very interested...
Finally I apologize for sending this message twice (soils-l and agmodel-l)
having the effect that some people get it twice...
I hope that I haved bored you too much
Ciao
Joerg Kaduk
+--------------------------------+
| Joerg Kaduk |
| MPI for Meteorology |
| Bundesstr. 55 |
| D-20146 Hamburg |
| kaduk@dkrz.d400.de |
+--------------------------------+

Distributed to:
in%"agmodels-l@unl.edu"
Announcing the 5th International Conference on Computers in
Agriculture on February 5-9, 1994.

We are pleased to announce the 5th International Conference on
Computers in Agriculture. This conference is intended to provide an exchange
of information on the applications of microcomputers in all agricultural
disciplines and to increase communication among agricultural specialists,
computer specialists and administrators from the United States and the world.

Conference Overview:

Feb. 5 - Visual Programming for Windows Workshop
Feb. 6 - Rapid Prototyping of Expert Systems workshop
Introduction to GIS workshop
Feb. 7 - General Session, Keynote Presentation
Concurrent paper presentations
Feb. 8 - Concurrent paper presentations
Feb. 9 - Concurrent paper presentations
Conference adjourns at noon.

Over 150 Papers representing 19 subject areas have resulted in a very
comprehensive program. The subject areas are as follows:

Agricultural Management and Policy Agricultural Engineering
Animal Science Computer Education
Computer Training Crop Production
Dairy Science Farm Management
Finance GIS
Information Delivery Irrigation
Network and Communication Systems Nutrient Management
Pests and Pesticides Safety
Software Development and Distribution Soil and Water
Weather

Sessions are scheduled concurrently so that a variety of choices will be
available to the participants. Hands-on experience on current software
applications can be obtained during an open demonstration, which will be held
throughout the conferences.

Registration

A registration card can be obtained from this address. Early
registrants, on or before January 17, 1994, are offered a $145.00
(U.S. dollars) registration fee. Regular registration is $195.00. Refunds
will be given only for cancellations received prior to January 24, 1994. Each
paid registrant will receive a copy of the 800+ page conference proceedings.

Proceedings

Conference proceeding will be available at the registration desk.
Each paid registration includes one copy of the proceedings. Additional
copies will be available for $45 on-site.

Hotel accommodations

The conference is being held at the Orlando/Kissimmee Gateway Hilton
Inn in Florida, which is only 1 mile from the Disney entrance. The Hilton's
amenities include a restaurant, deli bar, lounge, 2 outdoor pools (1 heated),
table tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, putting green, game room, fitness
room, and gift shop. Transportation and attraction tickets are available
onsite. The Hilton Inn has extended the conference rate of $60 per night,
single-quad. These rates are available February 2-12, 1994. Luxury rooms
are also available at $70 per night. For reservations call 800-327-9170 and
mention the International Conference on Computers in Agriculture.

Rental cars

Budget Rental Car is offering discounted rates for cars rented up to a
week before and after the conference. For more information, call 800-772-3773
and give them the rate ID # VKR5/ICCA. Daily rates for drivers 25 and over
with a major credit card are $24 for economy, $28 for compact, $32 for
intermediate, and $36 for full size cars - all with unlimited mileage. Budget
has an office in the Hilton Inn.

Air Travel

Delta Airlines is offering special air fares to the conference. Call
Delta reservations at 800-241-6760 between 8:00am and 11:00pm EST and refer to
file number XT0353.

Arabian Nights

Arabian Nights dinner theatre $30. All inclusive prime rib dinner and
round trip bus fare. Families welcome.

Workshop Descriptions

Visual Progamming for Microsoft Windows
February 5, 1994 - 1:30pm to 5:00pm

This half-day workshop will provide a practical overview of current
visual programming techniques that can be used for the development of
agricultural software. The workshop will consist of lecture, handson, and
question/answer sessions. All participants will receive a workbook. The
following topics and techniques will be presented:

*Introduction to agricultural software engineering.
*Advantages and disadvantages of windows progamming environments.
*Overview of selected visual programming tools for Basic, C++, Pascal, and
databases.
*Object-oriented programming.
*Hands-on application development in C++.

Registration cost is $50 ($70 after January 17, 1994). Registration is
limited, so register early. The instructors are Fedro S. Zazueta and Jiannong
Xin. For more information on this workshop, contact Fedro Zazueta at
904-392-7260 or Internet: fsz@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.

Rapid Prototyping of Expert Systems
February 6, 1994 - 8:30 to 12:00 noon

This half-day workshop is for individuals that want to develop expert
systems but have never gotten around to the details of "how-to". The workshop
will include:
*Brief overview of expert systems
*Knowledge engineering
*Development tools
*Examples of the complete process from conception to production
*Hands-on development of an expert system.

Attendees without previous knowledge of expert systems will be able to write
simple expert systems. The instructor is Fedro S. Zazueta. The registration
fee is $50 ($70 after January 17, 1994). Registration is limited, so register
early. For more information on the workshop, contact Fedro Zazueta at
904-392-7260 or Internet: fsz@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
February 6, 1994 - 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm

The workshop will consist of lecture and question/answer sessions.
A GIS is a computer-based system for the acquisition, storage, analysis, and
display of spatially distributed data. GIS systems extend the abilities of
traditional databases and analyze data based on their location. The following
topics and techniques for implementation of GIS will be covered:
*GIS introduction and concepts
*Agricultural applications
*Overview of selected GIS tools: Arc/Info, IDRISI, and AtlasGIS, GISPlus, and
AU-2.
*Planning a GIS application
*Interfacing database managers
*Interfacing models to GIS

The registration fee is $50 ($70 after January 17, 1994). The instructors are
Fedro S. Zazueta and Petraq Papajorgji. Registration is limited, so register
early. For more information on the workshop, contact Fedro Zazueta at
904-392-7260 or Internet: fsz@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.

More About The Conference

Come prepared to share your ideas and learn from others. For program
information, contact:

Dennis Watson
University of Florida
Bldg. 120, Room 203
PO Box 110340
Gainesville, Fl 32611-0340
Phone: (904) 392-7853
FAX: (904) 392-3856
Bitnet: Watson@ifasgnv
Internet: Watson@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu

As requested of new subscribers, I will
introduce myself:

Name: Sharyl E. Walker

Affiliation: University of Illinois
Dept. of Agricultural Engineering

Current position: Graduate student (Ph.D. candidate)

Areas of Interest: Water quality (urban and rural) as
affected by landuse practices.

Models worked with: Limited experience with ANSWERS, AGNPS,
CREAMS

"Burning" issue: I am currently interested in modeling nitrate
concentrations in tile drainage as affected by tillage and fertilizer
practices. I want to use GIS (GRASS) as a modeling tool. Is there
any model out there now that does this nicely? Any articles someone
might care to recommend?

Sharyl E. Walker
University of Illinois
Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
(217) 333-0945
guernsey@holstein.age.uiuc.edu
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