Archive AGMODELS-L: file log9410, part 1/1, size 31737 bytes:

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Sorry about posting a personal message to the list - it's Monday morning and my coffee has not made it to my brain yet.

Tess

test

Announcing the

UFIS/ECOBAS ftp-fileserver for ecological models
------------------------------------------------

We have opened a file-server providing codes of ecological
simulation models. The idea is to provide ecological modellers and
other people interested in models with an easy access to software. It
is also thought for modellers who want to distribute their models
easily without having to bother about file-servers themselves.
The server is also to be seen as a complement of ongoing work with the
information systems UFIS (for ecological models) and ECOBAS (for
ecological processes).
Ideally, the server could become a central source for obtaining
ecological model software; it is searchable by archie and is provided
as a service to modellers throughout the world.

At this stage we invite modellers to contribute their codes to the
server. Naturally we can only accept software in the public domain,
available free of charge and without any registration procedures. Also,
we are not able to provide user assistance for the software. We will
merely administer the server.
In the following we describe the technical details:

Name of ftp-server: ftp.hrz.uni-kassel.de

login: anonymous (or simply: ftp)

directory: /pub/ecosys/models

contents of this directory:
one subdirectory per model, name of subdirectory e.g. MODEL2.0
contents of this subdirectory:
files: site.info, doc.tar.Z, source.tar.Z, dos.tar.Z, unix.tar.Z,...
where:
site.info = ASCII-File, containing information about
contact-persons and -institutions
doc.tar.Z = available documentation files
source.tar.Z = available source-files
dos.tar.Z = DOS-executable and all related files
unix.tar.Z = UNIX-executable (or 'make'-able) and all related files

------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to send models to the file-server:

We would appreciate if you contribute your models to the server. This
can be done in the following ways:
1. Put it on the ftp-server in /pub/ecosys/incoming: create a
subdirectory with the name of the model as above. Please inform us
preferably e-mail about it. Alternatively you could send us the
model-files by e-mail as well (uuencoded).
2. Send it on a disc to us.

Please let us know if you experience problems with this fileserver; we
also welcome comments and suggestions. Thanks for your cooperation.

Dr. Joachim Benz
University of Kassel,
Faculty of Agriculture, International Rural Development
and Environmental Protection (FB 11)
Nordbahnhofstr. 1a
D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
Phone: +49-4452-981560 FAX: +49-84452-981588
e-mail: benz@wiz.uni-kassel.de

Dr. Michael Knorrenschild
GSF Research Centre for Environment and Health / PUC
P. O. Box 1129
D-85758 Oberschleissheim, Germany
Phone: +49-3187-2953
FAX: +49-3187-3369
e-mail: knorren@gsf.de

Dear Ag Modellers

It certainly is nice to find something useful on internet. So I am looking
forward to seeing what this group is all about.

I am a mathematical modeller with AgResearch which is the state-owned
agricultural research company here in New Zealand. We probably have 2-3000
staf throughout the country, but very few modellers. There are 4 of us at
Whatawhata and we are the largest modelling group, but even then not all of
us are involved in science modelling. We also put a lot of effort into
producing decision support software for farmers/consultants.

My kind of modelling in dynamcial systems (sets of differential equations)
so it is more maths based than computer based, although I use the computer a
lot to do various numerical analyses on the models, and some simulations. I
have spent three years modelling the effect of different grazing strategies
on herbage conservation and intake in continuously and rotationally grazed
systems. I used embarrasingly simple equations for this.

This year I have done some work on modelling sulphur cycling in the soil, in
order to predict plant response to fertiliser. We have some areas of sulphur
deficient soil in New Zealand (NZ). I am also working on modelling
green/dead flows in dairy pasture, especially rhe effect of reproductive
development in perennial grass pasture and the loss of pasture quality in
summer. All of these are dynamical systems models.

Well, keep up the good work everyone.

God bless.

Simon Woodward
Farm Systems Modeller
AgResearch (NZ Pastoral Agricultural Research Institute Ltd)
Whatawhata Research Centre
Hamilton Private Bag 3089
New Zealand
woodwards@agresearch.cri.nz

Hi. I am working for the Department of Primary Industries in North
Queensland, Australia, modelling nutrient transport in the Tinaroo Falls Dam
Catchment (55000 Ha). I am currently using AGNPS and I hope to be using
ARC/Info to help with inputting some of the data.

I have been reading through some of the letters to Agmodels and I have seen
the term Monte Carlo simulation come up every now and then. Does someone
have the time for a brief explanation? Is it a model where you gamble on
getting a good result?!

Thanks.
James Gourley.

I'm no expert on the subject, but I'll bite:

The basic idea in Monte Carlo simulation is that you use the
distributions of the input parameters to a given model to figure
out the distribution of the output by making many, many trial runs.
Let's say there is some output parameter that can be estimated
from knowing temperature, rainfall amount, and a soil erodibility
factor. You set up a "bag" for each of these inputs, each with an
appropriate distribution of values. Using whatever random number
generator you like, you pull out a temperature, rainfall, and soil
erodibility and plug them into your equation. You put the answer in
its own bag. You do this a bunch of times and then analyze the
distribution of the values in the output bag.

James, I am interested in hearing how things go with your AGNPS
modelling. I hope you'll post your findings to the list or e-mail me
directly.

Sharyl E. Walker, PE
Graduate Assistant
Dept. of Agricultural Engineering
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL USA
sew7924@age2.age.uiuc.edu

>
> Hi. I am working for the Department of Primary Industries in North
> Queensland, Australia, modelling nutrient transport in the Tinaroo Falls Dam
> Catchment (55000 Ha). I am currently using AGNPS and I hope to be using
> ARC/Info to help with inputting some of the data.
>
> I have been reading through some of the letters to Agmodels and I have seen
> the term Monte Carlo simulation come up every now and then. Does someone
> have the time for a brief explanation? Is it a model where you gamble on
> getting a good result?!
>
> Thanks.
> James Gourley.
>
>

Dear All

Does anyone have any information about the vertical distribution of pasture
components (grass leaf, dead leaf, pseudostem, repro stem, clover, etc)
within a temperate pasture sward? Either models or experiments.

Thanks

Simon

In 1980 I published a paper containing information on the
In Vivo quality of tall fescue canopy strata (Agronomy J. 72:872-876).

Edward B. Rayburn
Extension Forage Agronomist
West Virgina University
PO Box 6108
Morgantown WV 26506-6108
304-293-5229

> Does anyone have any information about the vertical distribution of pasture
> components (grass leaf, dead leaf, pseudostem, repro stem, clover, etc)
> within a temperate pasture sward? Either models or experiments.

We have fescue in J. of Animal Sci. 69:1188-1198 along with some
subtropical grasses. You could also contact Gerald Cosgrove at
Palmerston North and tell him to get busy and publish his thesis. He
did a Ph.D. with us and in his research we looked at Fescue,
Ryegrass, and Orchardgrass.

Dwight

=========================================
Dwight S. Fisher
USDA-ARS and Dept. of Crop Science
NC State University
Raleigh, NC
27695-7620

Phone 919 515 7597 FAX 919 515 7959
EMail Dwight_Fisher@NCSU.EDU
=========================================

Dear agmodelers:

A colleague of mine is studying the influence of soybean residue (stem)
decomposition on survival of a fungal pathogen in debris in the soil
experimentally. He is interested in generalizing his results and linking
them to a simple "summary" simulation model of decomposition. The model
should have the following features:

Input: - meteorological information (T, rainfall)
- pedological information (soil type and characteristics,
tilling practices)
- amount of initial soybean residue and its distribution
among different soil layers

Output: - amount of residue in different soil layers at monthly
intervals
- no detailed output on nutrient cycling or microbial
activity is needed

Does anyone on this list know of such a model? Any hints would be
appreciated.

Best wishes,
---
H. Scherm Phone (515) 294-1299
Dept. of Plant Pathology Fax (515) 294-9420
Iowa State University Internet hwscherm@iastate.edu
Ames, Iowa 50011

Dear agmodelers:

Harald Scherm was interested in residue decomposition models. One which
is available from USDA-ARS is called RESMAN and was developed by
Dr. Diane Stott here at the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory.

I think that RESMAN matches most of the criteria mentioned in the
original message. I am not completely familiar with RESMAN, so I am
not sure of the detail to which it looks at residue distribution in
different soil layers. The decomposition models in both RUSLE and WEPP
are based on the RESMAN model.

Copies of the RESMAN software are available from the NSERL. A new release
of RESMAN is planned in the near future and we will be placing the
new RESMAN software in our public FTP directories.

For more information on RESMAN, you may wish to contact Dr. Stott via
electronic mail. Her e-mail address is: stottd@ecn.purdue.edu

Good luck!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dennis Flanagan Phone: (317) 494-8673
USDA-Agricultural Research Service FAX: (317) 494-5948
National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory email: flanagan@ecn.purdue.edu
1196 Building SOIL
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1196

TO: Agricultural Modeling Discussion List

FROM: Dennis Flanagan, USDA-ARS NSERL, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

DATE: October 28, 1994

In a message back in September, I said that I planned to provide the
discussion list with information on how to obtain the most recent version
of the USDA-ARS Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) computer programs.
The attached message was sent to our current electronic mailing list
back in September. I will add the agmodels email address to the general
WEPP email list.

The WEPP models are still under development, and release of the validated and
documented hillslope profile and watershed versions is planned for next year.
The version currently residing on our file server (version 94.7) is only
for hillslope profiles and does not allow simulation of channel or impoundment
processes. Since validation of WEPP is not complete, model predictions using
version 94.7 should only be used for demonstration or testing purposes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dennis Flanagan Phone: (317) 494-8673
USDA-Agricultural Research Service FAX: (317) 494-5948
National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory email: flanagan@ecn.purdue.edu
1196 Building SOIL WEPP email: wepp@ecn.purdue.edu
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1196

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attached WEPP information follows:


DATE: September 8, 1994

TO: WEPP Users

FROM: WEPP Development Team

SUBJECT: WEPP Version 94.7 Release

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) development team has released a
new version of the WEPP erosion model: Version 94.7. The last public release
of the WEPP model was version 94.3 in March of 1994. The WEPP programs and
user documents are now available through anonymous FTP to our file server.
Instructions on how to obtain the WEPP materials through the Internet are
attached to this message. If you only have e-mail access and can not transfer
the files through the Internet, disk mailings have begun this week.

WEPP Version 94.7 contains several improvements over Version 94.3, the main
one being addition of new winter processes components which better estimate
frost, thaw and snow melt in colder climatic regions. These improved winter
routines currently perform hourly computations, which while they provide
better process descriptions also increase model computational time by 2 to
3 times when running simulations with climate files having significant periods
of cold temperatures. Efforts at the NSERL continue to reduce the model run
time required by these new winter calculations.

New sets of effective hydraulic conductivity estimation equations (both baseline
and adjustment) have been inserted in the computer code, and new sets of crop
growth and residue decomposition parameters are available in the user summary
document. Several of the output files have been improved or expanded.

The WEPP/Shell user interface and file builders have also been improved based
in large part on comments from the user community. A very helpful addition in
the main interface screen is a toggle key (F8) that allows you to view all
information for an individual WEPP run on a single screen. There is also a new
prototype file builder available for creating irrigation input files.

Many users have switched to obtaining the WEPP information through use of the
Internet, and we hope that all users will seriously investigate this option.
Through use of anonymous FTP (and now through browsers on the World Wide Web)
you can easily and rapidly obtain the most recent WEPP programs, documentation,
news and databases.

WEPP Version 94.7 is still a test version of the erosion model and interface,
thus users should be very cautious if they plan to use the model results for
purposes other than demonstration and validation. Validation studies during
the next several months will concentrate on erosion predictions and erodibility
parameterization. An initial release of WEPP which will allow watershed
applications (multiple hillslope profiles PLUS channels PLUS impoundments)
should be available by the end of this year.

Good luck in your use of WEPP Version 94.7!

Dennis C. Flanagan John M. Laflen Mark A. Nearing
Agricultural Engineer WEPP Project Leader Agricultural Engineer


----------< To Transfer Files to your PC via FTP >-------------- Page 1 of 3 ---

1 Using the FTP program, connect to the file server storing
the WEPP and CPIDS programs by typing:

ftp soils.ecn.purdue.edu
OR
ftp 128.46.135.45

2 Login as ftp or anonymous. Enter your name as the password.

Name: ftp OR anonymous
Password: yourname

3 Set the transfer type to binary by typing:

binary

4 Set for noninteractive transfer by typing:

prompt

5 Move to the directory of choice:

cd pub/wepp/wepp.947 (for the DOS executable WEPP programs)
cd pub/wepp/document (for the WEPP V94.7 user summary doc)
cd pub/wepp/cligen (for the CLIGEN program or state files)
cd pub/wepp/cligen/maps (for the climate file builder map files)
cd pub/cpids (for CPIDS programs and database)

6 Get the desired file(s) using the GET or MGET commands by typing:

mget *.* OR get cligen31.exe (for example)

7 Quit the FTP program by typing:

quit

----------< To Install the WEPP Programs from a Hard Drive on a DOS computer>-----

1 Place the 3 installation executable files (WINSTALL.EXE,
WDIST1.EXE, WDIST2.EXE) in the same directory on your drive

2 Move to this directory and type: WINSTALL

3 This will automatically install the WEPP/Shell programs
on the hard drive/disk partition of your choice. You will
be prompted for a change of diskettes [since the information
for disk 2 (the WDIST2.EXE file) is already present, enter Yes].

----------< To Use the WEPP programs after Installation >-----------------------

Once installed, the WEPP programs are run by typing:

SHELL

when in the \WEPP\DIST directory. See the next page for the directory
structure created during the WEPP installation.

The programs will prompt you for corrections
if things are found not to be in order...
^L
----------< WEPP Installed Files >------------------------------ Page 2 of 3 ---

The following files and directories will be created during a WEPP installation:

\WEPP\DIST\README.1ST - important notes on usage
\WEPP\DIST\SHELL.BAT - entry-point for using the WEPP shell
\WEPP\DIST\WEPPKIDS.DEF - common paths and defaults file
\WEPP\DIST\UTIL <DIR> - utilities for cloning the programs
\WEPP\DIST\SHELL <DIR> - the WEPP/Shell program
\WEPP\DIST\WEPP <DIR> - the WEPP model
\WEPP\DIST\INPUT <DIR> - input files and builders...
\INPUT\MAN <DIR> - WMAN management file builder and files
\INPUT\SLOPE <DIR> - WSLP slope builder and files
\INPUT\SOIL <DIR> - WSOL soil builder and files
\INPUT\CLIMATE <DIR> - CLIGEN climate builder and files
\INPUT\IRR <DIR> - WIRR irrigation builder and files
\WEPP\DIST\OUTPUT <DIR> - output files and viewers...
\OUTPUT\WGR <DIR> - WWGR graphical viewer
\OUTPUT\PLOT <DIR> - EGRAPH graphical viewer
\OUTPUT\EVENT <DIR> - event/ofe output files
\OUTPUT\WINTER <DIR> - winter routine output files
\OUTPUT\YIELD <DIR> - plant yield output files
\OUTPUT\ERROR <DIR> - error/warning output files
\OUTPUT\SINGLE <DIR> - single-storm output files
\OUTPUT\SUMMARY <DIR> - soil loss summary output files
\OUTPUT\SOILS <DIR> - water/plant/soil output files
\OUTPUT\RANGE <DIR> - rangeland/animal output files


----------< Other Files Obtainable from FTP >-----------------------------------

The anonymous FTP login to "soils.ecn.purdue.edu" can also be used to obtain
some other related WEPP programs, data files, and documents.


/pub/wepp/cligen contains the CLIGEN executable program, stations file,
and the state database files for the United States. The
user needs to copy the state data files of choice (TX
for example, for Texas) to the WEPP\DIST\INPUT\CLIMATE
directory on their computer.

/pub/wepp/cligen/maps contains the WEPP Climate File Builder interface state
map files. The user needs to copy the state map files
of choice (TX.* for example, for Texas) to his/her
WEPP\DIST\INPUT\CLIMATE\MAPS directory.

/pub/wepp/document contains the WEPP User Summary Document for the current
version (94.7) in a REPLICA executable file, which must
be executed under Microsoft Windows. To obtain the
User Summary, put this file on the hard drive on your
PC, start up Microsoft Windows, then from the Program
Manager File Options, select "Run" and enter the
REPLICA file name ( USERSUM.EXE ). The REPLICA
viewing program will be installed on your PC under
Windows, and you will automatically be put into
viewing the User Summary Document. You can also print
part or all of the document using REPLICA. REPLICA is
a Microsoft Windows Application made by Farallon
Computing Inc., Alameda, California.

/pub/cpids contains the CPIDS (Crop Parameter Intelligent Database
System) programs. These programs can be used to
develop WEPP and RUSLE plant growth parameters for
plants not in the default lists. See the CPIDS
directory for more information.
^L
----------< World Wide Web access to WEPP >--------------------- Page 3 of 3 ---

The NSERL home page on the World Wide Web (WWW) can be accessed through a WWW
browser (such as Mosaic or Lynx). If you have access to such a WWW browser,
follow these steps:

1. Go to the File options pulldown menu list.
2. Select "Open URL"
3. Enter the following URL path name:

http://purgatory.ecn.purdue.edu:20002/NSERL/nserl.html

This should place you on the NSERL home page. From there you can access WEPP,
CPIDS, or CLIGEN materials, as well as view some prototype WEPP training
materials.

Simon writes:

> Does anyone have any information about the vertical distribution of pasture
> components (grass leaf, dead leaf, pseudostem, repro stem, clover, etc)
> within a temperate pasture sward? Either models or experiments.
>

This post reminded me of a project I have had on hold for a while.
I am involved in characterizing rangeland vegetation for wind erosion
modelling. We need vertical distribution of stem and leaf area as well
as the reproductive portion for as many range and pasture plants that
we can get. We already have data for some of the more common row crops
in the US. This data will be used to model the effects of plants on
the erosion of soil by wind. I have found such data for range and
pasture plants hard to obtain.

I am interested in obtaining distributions by height of leaf and stem
area (or weight) as well as similar information for the reproductive
portion for ANY range or pasture plants. No amount of information
is too large or small.

Thanks

John

John Tatarko | jt@weru.ksu.edu
USDA-ARS Wind Erosion Research Unit | tatarko@matt.ksu.ksu.edu
Throckmorton Hall, KSU | phone: (913) 532-6720
Manhattan, KS 66506 | fax: (913) 532-6528
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