Knowledge management in silviculture based on growth simulations with interactive 3D-visualization

BITÖK-D1

From 01/2001 to 12/2004

Principal Investigator: Michael Hauhs
Staff: Thomas Glotzmann, Falk-Juri Knauft
Grant: 0339476 D Grundlagen zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung von Ökosystemen bei veränderter Umwelt

Silviculture can be understood as a goal-oriented, interactive process which requires a substantial amount of practical experience managing forest stands. In this project we use modern visualization software to simulate interactive repetitive thinning operations during the rotation period of typical German forests. The main objective is the creation of a knowledge repository, representing the expertise of practical foresters with respect to thinning choices. Such a repository will also facilitate a further updating of silvicultural knowledge, especially under the currently changing environmental and economic boundary conditions of German forestry. Interactive forest growth simulators (Tragic++) are controlled by a sophisticated 3D-visualization (JTragic) providing an input interface for ecosystem managers to reflect their practical experience. Interactions of users with a virtual stand over a complete rotation period (defined through the 3D-interface with intuitive interaction) will be recorded, analyzed and transformed into rules. The behavior of interactively calibrated models is used as a basis to evaluate the quality of growth reconstructions and silvicultural activities within the community of practitioners. New in this approach is the leading role of continuous and documented learning in practical ecosystem management to ensure sustainability. Focusing at knowledge management will also improve the communication links between ecosystem research and practical aspects in silviculture.
Homepage JTragic

Homepage: http://www.bitoek.uni-bayreuth.de/mod/html/tragic++/

List of publications of this Project

Hauhs, M; Lange, H; Kastner-Maresch, A: Complexity and simplicity in Ecosystems: The case of forest management, InterJournal for Complex Systems, 415, 1-8 (2001) -- Details