An ontological approach to multi-scale modelling of environmental fate and ecological effects in aquatic ecosystems

Abstract

Aquatic ecosystems are complex and multifaceted webs that continuously shift states to accommodate natural and anthropogenic inputs. Managing such a dynamic scheme necessitates multidisciplinary and multi-scale modelling. Although a variety of modelling strategies and tools have been suggested and used, their applicability is often restricted to one scale (usually the macro-or meso-scale) or to related domains of knowledge (usually hydrogeomorphology or ecology), making accurate predictions on whole system responses difficult to achieve. A critical impediment in constructing an integrative framework lies in the structure of knowledge, which remains context-specific across different disciplines. Acquiring and evaluating information (at the required amount and level of granularity) in collaborative interactions is often a challenge, as is the transfer of this information to others, including scientists, stakeholders, resource managers, policymakers, and the public. This paper presents a methodological framework for bridging the gaps between macro-and micro-scales in ecosystem modelling through an ontological platform designed/developed to accommodate partonomic functions in and between different knowledge domains and levels.