Working with Dynamic Crop Models: Methods, Tools and Examples for Agriculture and Environment

Working with Dynamic Crop Models: Methods, Tools and Examples for Agriculture and Environment, Third Edition presents a completely revised and updated edition ensuring that those seeking to understand and apply methods for working with dynamic models have applicable insight into current modeling. Structured by topic, each chapter includes an introduction, a detailed explanation of available methods, illustrations showing how the methods can be applied, and a detailed description of their implementation. The examples guide readers to direct, effective and efficient application of the methods that are accompanied by the core concepts they need to be successful.

Known for not simply being a numerical recipes book, the book is designed for relative ease in adapting the provided code to new problems and challenges.

Includes new chapters on ensemble modeling, meta-models, gene-based modeling and improved strategies for using modelsPresents insights on modeling, from the basics, to the most recent advances in techniques and softwareProvides examples for applicable learningFeatures an integrative chapter illustrating how different topics fit together in a complete modeling project

Section A Background 1. Basics of Agricultural System Models 2. The R Programming Language and Software 3. Simulation with Dynamic System Models 4. Statistical Notions Useful for Modeling 5. Regression Analysis, Frequentist

Section B Basic methods 6. Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis 7. Calibration of System Models

8. Parameter Estimation With Bayesian Methods 9. Model Evaluation 10. Putting It All Together in a Case Study

Section C Advanced Methods 11. Metamodeling 12. Multimodel Ensembles 13. Gene-Based Crop Models 14. Data Assimilation for Dynamic Models 15. Models as an Aid to Sampling

Appendix 1:   The Models Included in the ZeBook R Package: Description, R Code, and Examples of Results

Appendix 2:  An Overview of the R Package ZeBook