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Predicting Ecosystem Changes with EcoPro

EcoPro models the intricate dynamics of our planet's ecosystems, offering insights and foresight into environmental changes. Utilizing advanced analytics, we envision a sustainable future by understanding and managing the ecological impact of human activities.

What is EcoPro?

EcoPro is a digital twin to perform an ecological projection which is to predict changes in ecosystems in response to environmental drivers. EcoPro provides a platform to access Earth Systems Model (ESM) outputs and Earth Systems observation datasets, to develop an ecological model that connects ecosystem predictors with environmental drivers, to downscale the ESM model outputs to the resolution relevant to the ecosystem, to apply the ecological model to the downscaled ESM model outputs, to visualize the ecological projection results to the high resolution to inform application users and decision makers, and to assess the performance of new observing systems for ecological projection.

EcoPro

Architecture and Use Scenarios

The EcoPro platform integrates a comprehensive suite of services that empower scientists and researchers to effectively analyze, visualize, and collaborate on ecological data. The architecture is designed to facilitate a seamless workflow between data ingestion, analysis, and interpretation, ensuring that insights derived from complex ecological models are accessible and actionable.

EcoPro System Architecture and Use Scenarios

EcoPro Systems

Workflow

Our ecological projection methodology follows the workflow of:

  1. Collect, collate, calculate, and regrid the Earth Systems Model (ESM) predictor variables (e.g., sea surface temperature or precipitation index).
  2. Downscale the predictor variables using geostatistical inference and high-resolution remote sensing observations.
  3. Develop an ecological model to construct relevant predictors of health for the system in question and to relate these predictors to one or more predictands of interest.
  4. Apply the ecological model to the downscaled ESM future projection data.
  5. Quantify the uncertainty of the projection.
  6. Validate the ecological projections against high-resolution observation data (data unused in the downscaling and ecological model development step).
Workflow Diagram

Visualizations and Projections

Kelp Locations
Kelp Projections

Kelp Forest Projection Analysis

Sierra Nevada Forest Tree Mortality Projection
Sierra Nevada Forest Tree Mortality Projection

Sierra Nevada Forest Tree Mortality Projection