Modeling structural change in spatial system dynamics: A Daisyworld example

System dynamics (SD) is an effective approach for helping reveal the temporal behavior of complex systems. Although there have been recent developments in expanding SD to include systems' spatial dependencies, most applications have been restricted to the simulation of diffusion processes; this is especially true for models on structural change (e.g. LULC modeling). To address this shortcoming, a Python program is proposed to tightly couple SD software to a Geographic Information System (GIS). The approach provides the required capacities for handling bidirectional and synchronized interactions of operations between SD and GIS. In order to illustrate the concept and the techniques proposed for simulating structural changes, a fictitious environment called Daisyworld has been recreated in a spatial system dynamics (SSD) environment. The comparison of spatial and non-spatial simulations emphasizes the importance of considering spatio-temporal feedbacks. Finally, practical applications of structural change models in agriculture and disaster management are proposed

Evaluation criteria for including feed materials in Annex II C and dietary supplements in Annex II D of the EC-Regulation 2092/91

Organic livestock farming is intended to contribute to the equilibrium of agricultural production systems; establish and maintaining an interdependence between soils, plants and animals; is land-related ruling out landless productions, and should support the development of a sustainable agriculture. The criteria for the evaluation of non-organic and organic feed inputs should be consistent with these principles of organic livestock production. This report provides an overview of issues to be considered with regard to the inclusion of criteria for non-organic and external feed materials in the further development of the EC-Regulation 2092/91 on organic food. The various implications of a criteria based approach are discussed in relation to the main objectives and principles in organic production. A system approach is recommended to provide a tool for balancing the divergent and ambivalent issues in relation to the inclusion of non-organic and external feed material on the different levels relevant in organic production

Teaching embedded control system design of electromechanical devices using a lab-scale smart farming system

This paper presents the design and monitoring of a lab-scale smart farming system through the integration of control and app designs that can be used for teaching embedded control application to electromechanical systems. A combination of sensors and actuators is used to develop an Arduino based embedded feedback control system that could be implemented in a smart farming environment. Specifically, we look at controlling electromechanical devices to actuate the fan and water pump to provide the optimal temperature and moisture, respectively, to enhance plant growth in a smart farming setting. The effectiveness of the feedback control is tested by conducting a plant growth experiment. Using garden cress (Lepidium sativum) as a case study, the plant grown in the controlled temperature and moisture settings shows substantially healthier growth compared to the one grown in the non-controlled environment. In addition, an app is designed and developed to transform the Arduino data stream from the sensors into valuable insights that could help the users to monitor and improve the overall crop health. The developed system in this paper enables students to learn integral skills from interdisciplinary engineering fields (e.g., systems, control, mechanical and computer) to solve an agricultural problem