Modeling Landscapes with SIMPPLLE
for Decision Support
SIMulating
Patterns and
Processes at
Landscape
scaLEs
OBJECTIVES
APPLICATIONS
acres of fire
Simulated acres of fire process by treatment scenario
over a 50 year period
HANDLE DISTURBANCE PROCESSES
AS STOCHASTIC EVENTS
CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON
DISTURBANCE PROCESSES FROM
SPATIAL OPTIONS
IN TREATMENTS
140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
27 %
24 %
24 %
26 %
67 %
62 %
9%
14 %
22 %
alt 3
alt 4
Potential old growth conditions under
three different fuel treatment levels
srf
64 %
66 %
27 %
51 %
9%
10 %
no treatments
alt 1
alt 2
PROJECT PLANNING
msf
lsf
SEQUENCE OF USING SIMPPLLE (simulation)
AND MAGIS (optimization)
SIMPPLLE
SIMPPLLE
Step 3: Multiple Simulations for Testing Each
MAGIS Scenario
Step 1: Multiple Simulations of No
Action
Location &
Severity of
Disturbance
Processes
Location &
Severity of
Disturbance
Processes
PROVIDE FOR A QUANTIFICATION OF
THE RANGE OF VARIABILITY FOR BOTH
VEGETATION CONDITIONS AND
DISTURBANCE PROCESSES
TO HELP DESIGN AND EVALUATE
MANAGEMENT IN A COLLABRATIVE
FASHION WITH AN UNDERSTANDING
OF LANDSCAPE DYNAMICS
CAPTURE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN
VEGETATION PATTERNS AND DISTURBANCE
PROCESSES
RESOURCE
SUITABILITY ANALYSIS
MAGIS
MAGIS
Step 2: Optimization based on Management
Objectives & Constraints
Step 4: Apply SIMPPLLE treat ment-process
simulations to MAGIS
Calculated
Overall Effects
and Economics
Schedule of
Treatments in
Time & Space
FOREST PLAN
REVISION
HISTORIC FIRE
OVER 500 YEARS
50000
ACRES
40000
WATERSHED
ASSESSMENT
IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO IDENTIFY
DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS OF BOTH
VEGETATION CONDITIONS AND LEVELS
OF DISTURBANCE PROCESSES
30000
20000
10000
0
0
5
10
20
25
30
35
DECADE
LSF
INTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE FROM RESEARCH STUDIES,
FINE SCALE MODELS AND EXPERT OPINION
Hydrologic response modeled by linking SIMPPLLE output
to the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), a USGS system.
SYSTEM DESIGN
GIS input
15
APPLICATION LOCATIONS
A SOFTWARE DESIGN THAT PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY
TO MODEL IN ONE SYSTEM:
White spruce
Model with polygons or
grids
All vegetation types in Northern
Rocky Mountains
Interaction of vegetation, aquatics,
landforms, and manmade features
Models trees, shrubs
and grasses
Grasslands
Jack Pine
Sagebrush &
Pinion-Juniper
3,237,498 hectares Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF
483,297 hectares
Model time steps in decades,
years, and seasons
Mixed Conifers
Mixed Conifers
113,196
hectares
Chaparral
Ponderosa Pine & Pinion-Juniper
Models from thousands of
hectares to millions of hectares
Southern
Pines
MSF
SRF
40
45
50