Biosystems Modeling applies general systems theory to the analysis of agricultural and environmental systems. Systems theory provides a method of analyzing overall system behavior by examining relations among—and behavior of—individual components, and synthesizing these relationships into a mathematical framework that describes the total system. Computer simulation using this mathematical framework can predict and analyze the response to various changes in the inputs to, and/or structure of, the system, providing a powerful tool for the development of comprehensive solutions to problems. Examples are the responses of salmon in natural and hatchery environments to water flow, oxygen levels, and temperature; interactions between crops (e.g. sweet corn, filberts, and apples), pests (e.g. corn earworm, filbert moth, and codling moth), pesticides, and crop yields.
2004 Oregon State University