Modelling ecological interaction despite object-oriented modularity

Abstract

Ecological modellers may be deterred from using object-oriented programming languages by reports of the inherent rigidity of the object-oriented formulation, giving rise to a poor representation of biotic interaction. Internal approaches of imitating relationships between the components of an ecological model bury the associated code inside the object declarations of one or more of these components. External approaches isolate a component's processes thereby maintaining the object's integrity, but at the cost of realism. Highlighted here is a frame-based technique that uses object pointers to reference the active components thereby allowing mimicry of interaction while maintaining individual object integrity.