Integration of an individual-oriented model into a system dynamics model: An application to a multi-species system

Abstract

Although the system dynamics (SD) modeling approach has been used frequently to model various systems, there is little research on the development of hybrid SD-individual-oriented (IO) modeling. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the use of an array variable for the hybrid SD-IO modeling approach using the SD platform, and to provide a detailed modeling process of an algae-daphnid system consisting of two freshwater algal species and Daphnia. Our study showed that the array variable in the SD approach is useful for modeling multiple individuals and as a function to control the switch and integration variable for the hybrid modeling approach. The proposed method can improve the usability of hybrid modeling by enabling hybrid SD-IO modeling without requiring extensive knowledge of programming. Given the ongoing development and advancement of the SD modeling approach, this modeling technique will be a useful method to study complex systems.