{"id":763,"date":"2023-10-17T21:13:36","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T01:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=763"},"modified":"2024-05-15T14:09:23","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T18:09:23","slug":"ecoengineer-plug-in","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/chapter\/ecoengineer-plug-in\/","title":{"raw":"Ecoengineer Plug-In","rendered":"Ecoengineer Plug-In"},"content":{"raw":"<h1>Introduction<\/h1>\r\nThe Ecoengineer plugin is designed for predicting the spatial spread of functional groups in benthic ecosystems with at least one autogenic ecosystem engineer: an animal or plant that uses its own body to change an environment and affect the access of other species to resources [footnote]Jones MV, West RJ (2005) Spatial and temporal variability of seagrass fishes in intermittently closed and open coastal lakes in southeastern Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 64: 277\u2013288. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecss.2005.02.021\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecss.2005.02.021<\/a>[\/footnote]. Ideally, the engineering species should be hard in structure. In the accompanying publication Sadchatheeswaran et al. [footnote]Sadchatheeswaran S, Branch GM, Shannon LJ, Coll M, Steenbeek J (Submitted) A novel approach to explicitly model the spatiotemporal impacts of structural complexity created by alien ecosystem engineers in a marine benthic environment. Ecological Modelling [\/footnote], mussel and barnacle beds, which dominated the intertidal area considered, were used.\r\n\r\nThe Ecoengineer plugin for Ecospace, the spatial\u2010temporal modelling routine of Ecopath with Ecosim or EwE (Christensen and Walters 2004), is publicly available with EwE version\u00a06.6.5 and onward.\r\n<h1>Using Ecoengineer<\/h1>\r\nSetting up Ecoengineer dynamics in a EwE model thus requires the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A balanced Ecopath model, with an Ecosim and Ecospace scenario<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"list-style-type: none\"><\/li>\r\n \t<li>One or more eco\u2010engineer functional groups present in the ecosystem model<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Definition of the empirical relationship between ecoengineer biomass and structural complexity<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Definition of an Ecospace environmental driver map that will receive the amount of structural complexity<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Definition of functional responses for all functional groups that are affected by this new environmental driver<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nFigure 1 outlines how to achieve this in the EwE desktop software. The steps are described in detail, below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_766\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"386\"]<img class=\"wp-image-766\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"386\" height=\"496\" \/> <strong>Figure 1. <\/strong>Outline of Ecoengineer procedure.[\/caption]\r\n<h1>Preparation: Set Up a Temporal\u2010Spatial Model<\/h1>\r\nIn EwE, create a balanced Ecopath model of the ecosystem that represents the first year of biomass time series of ecosystem engineers. Make sure ecosystem engineers are explicitly represented by at least one functional group. Run the model for a set number of years in Ecosim, with a time series to drive the biomass of functional groups over time. In Sadchatheeswaran et al.[footnote]Sadchatheeswaran et al. 2021, op. cit.[\/footnote] , the time series was run for 35 years (1980 to 2015), and the initial biomasses of the alien ecosystem engineer groups started low and were forced at each annual time step, rather than use fitted data, as per the recommendations of Langseth et al.[footnote]Langseth BJ, Rogers M, Zhang H (2012) Modelling species invasions in Ecopath with Ecosim: An evaluation using Laurentian Great Lakes models. Ecological Modelling 247: 251\u2013 261. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2012.08.015\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2012.08.015<\/a>[\/footnote]. The biomasses of the native functional groups in the time series can be used to fit the model to observed data. The model is then ready for Ecospace, the spatial\u2010temporal modelling routine.\r\n\r\nIn Ecospace, open and name a new scenario that should automatically run for the total number of years dictated in Ecosim. In Maps (Ecospace&gt;Input), create a base map that matches the size of the study area [footnote]Walters C, Pauly D, Christensen V (1999) Ecospace: Prediction of mesoscale spatial patterns in trophic relationships of exploited ecosystems, with emphasis on the impacts of marine protected areas. Ecosystems 2: 539\u2013554. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021990010\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021990010<\/a>1[\/footnote] [footnote]Christensen and Walters 2004, op. cit.[\/footnote]. If\u00a0possible, also create depth (or zonation) and habitat layers on this map to drive functional\u00a0group biomass to preferred areas on the map, based on observational data.\r\n<h1>Step 1: Enable Ecoengineer Dynamics<\/h1>\r\nThe first step to enabling ecosystem engineer dynamics is to define the empirical relationship between engineering species biomass and derived structural complexity. We implemented this connection through the Ecospace \u2018external data connections\u2019 system (Steenbeek 2021), where the Ecoengineer plug\u2010in acts as an intermediate calculator that calculates structural complexity while Ecospace executes [footnote]Steenbeek J, Buszowski J, Christensen V, Akoglu E, Aydin K, Ellis N, Felinto D, Guitton J, Lucey S, Kearney K, Mackinson S, Pan M, Platts M, Walters C (2016). Ecopath with Ecosim as a model\u2010building toolbox: Source code capabilities, extensions, and variations. Ecological Modelling 319: 178\u2013189. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2015.06.031\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2015.06.031<\/a>[\/footnote].\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_767\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"831\"]<img class=\"wp-image-767 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"831\" height=\"314\" \/> <strong>Figure 2 <\/strong>- Define Ecoengineer as an external data connection[\/caption]\r\n\r\nFrom the menu bar, go to Ecospace &gt; Define External Data Connections. Under Connect to\u00a0external spatial temporal data select the EcoEngineer driver and press Create. This new\u00a0connection should now be present under the Existing connections.\r\n<div>\r\n<h1>Step 2: Set Up Engineer Biomass \u2013 Structural Complexity Relationship<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe next step is to parameterize the relationship between the ecosystem engineer biomasses and the structural complexity (Figure 3).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_769\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"833\"]<img class=\"wp-image-769 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"750\" \/> <strong>Figure 3 - <\/strong>Configure the external data connection between the ecosystem engineer biomasses and the structural complexity.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nMake sure the new connection is selected and press Configure.\r\n\r\nFirst, provide your Ecoengineer set\u2010up with an intuitive name and an optional description.\r\n\r\nIn the Complexity calculations\u00a0tab, choose an ecosystem engineer in the left frame. In the right frame, select a predefined function of how structural complexity changes as a function of ecosystem engineer biomass (if suitable). Otherwise define formulae based on observational data, by entering parameters for a, b and c of y = ax2+bx+c, where y is structural complexity (cm3) and x is engineering biomass (g m\u20102). Derivation of these calculations is discussed in Sadchatheeswaran et al. [footnote]Sadchatheeswaran S, Moloney CL, Branch GM, Robinson TB (2019) Blender interstitial volume: A novel virtual measurement of structural complexity applicable to marine benthic habitats. MethodsX 6: 1728\u20101740. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.mex\/2019.07.014\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.mex\/2019.07.014<\/a>.[\/footnote]. Repeat for all ecosystem engineers.\r\n<h1>Step 3: Define Ecoengineer as an Environmental Driver Map<\/h1>\r\nOnce empirical relationships between habitat building biomasses and structural complexity are defined, Ecospace needs to be informed of how individual functional groups respond to structural complexity. First, a new environmental driver map is needed to receive the spatial\u2010 and temporally varying structural complexity to drive structural complexity\u2010related functional responses.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_771\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"977\"]<img class=\"wp-image-771 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"977\" height=\"608\" \/> <strong>Figure 4 <\/strong>- Define environmental input maps.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>In the Menu bar, select Ecospace &gt; Define Environmental Driver maps. Add and name a new environmental driver. For illustration, in Figure 4, the driver was named \u2018alien complexity\u2019. The driver will show up under Environmental drivers in the Map window of Ecospace.\r\n<div>\r\n<h1>Step 4: Connect Ecoengineer Driver to the Environmental Driver Map<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe environmental driver map, defined in Step 3, must receive the ecosystem engineer calculated complexity, defined in Steps 1 and 2. This is achieved by connecting the external driver (defined in step 2) to the environmental driver (defined in step 3). This will make the alien complexity map vary in response to changing habitat\u2010building biomasses.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_772\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"981\"]<img class=\"wp-image-772 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"981\" height=\"652\" \/> <strong>Figure 5 <\/strong>-\u00a0 External data connection setup.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIn the Navigator window, select Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; External data. In the main window, there will be several input maps; select Environmental drivers. Click on the column marked Slot 1 in the row marked alien complexity (for illustration)\u00a0(Figure 5).\r\n\r\nIn the window that pops up, under available connections, select the Ecoengineer driver that you created and configured in steps 1 and 2, and click the right arrow button to connect the driver to the alien complexity map. Close the window.\r\n\r\nThe Ecoengineer driver is applied properly when a green time series line is present in the external data\u00a0window.\r\n<div>\r\n<h1>Step 5: Configure Group Capacity Model Settings<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nMake sure that Ecospace niche model, the habitat foraging capacity model, knows which functional groups must respond to environmental drivers.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_773\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"977\"]<img class=\"wp-image-773 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"977\" height=\"606\" \/> <strong>Figure 6<\/strong> - Enable Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging &gt; Use environmental responses for relevant groups.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>In the Navigation window, choose Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging &gt; Group capacity model. Ensure that the option \u201cuse environmental responses\u201d is checked for all functional groups that are affected by structural complexity (Figure 6).\r\n<div>\r\n<h1>Step 6: Create Foraging Responses<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nNext, define how individual functional groups are affected by structural complexity.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_774\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"977\"]<img class=\"wp-image-774 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"977\" height=\"606\" \/> <strong>Figure 7 <\/strong>- Definition of habitat based foraging response functions.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIn Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging, create and define foraging responses that can be applied to the relevant functional groups in Apply foraging response window. These foraging responses dictate how the foraging arena of a functional group will vary in size as a function of changing structural complexity in the Ecospace habitat capacity model [footnote]Christensen V, Coll M, Steenbeek J, Buszowski J, Chagaris D, Walters, CJ (2014). Representing Variable Habitat Quality in a Spatial Food Web Model. Ecosystems 17: 1397\u20131412. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021\u2010014\u20109803\u20103\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021\u2010014\u20109803\u20103<\/a>[\/footnote].\r\n<div>\r\n<h1>Step 7: Apply Foraging Responses<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe last step is to make the functional groups sensitive to environmental conditions, as defined in Step 5, so that they respond to structural complexity using the functions defined in Step 6.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_775\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"983\"]<img class=\"wp-image-775 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"983\" height=\"691\" \/> <strong>Figure 8<\/strong> -\u00a0 Definition of habitat based foraging response functions (next step).[\/caption]\r\n\r\nMake sure that sensitive groups are configured to derive foraging capacity from environmental drivers in Ecospace&gt;Input&gt;Habitat based foraging&gt;Group capacity model.\r\n\r\nWhen Ecospace next runs, this environmental driver will be used to help drive functional groups around the map, as dictated by the foraging capacity computed by the functional responses to ecosystem engineer\u2010computed structural complexity.\r\n\r\nMake sure that sensitive groups are configured to derive foraging capacity from environmental drivers in Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging &gt; Group capacity model (Figure 8).\r\n\r\nWhen Ecospace next runs, this environmental driver will be used to help drive functional groups around the map, as dictated by the foraging capacity computed by the functional responses to ecosystem engineer\u2010computed structural complexity.\r\n<h1>References<\/h1>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Concept: S. Sadchatheeswaran, Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Coding: J. Steenbeek, Ecopath International Initiative, Spain<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Financial contributions from the University of Cape Town, the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the South African Research Chair Initiative (funded through the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and administered by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF)), and the DSI\u2010NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology are gratefully acknowledged.<\/p>","rendered":"<h1>Introduction<\/h1>\n<p>The Ecoengineer plugin is designed for predicting the spatial spread of functional groups in benthic ecosystems with at least one autogenic ecosystem engineer: an animal or plant that uses its own body to change an environment and affect the access of other species to resources <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Jones MV, West RJ (2005) Spatial and temporal variability of seagrass fishes in intermittently closed and open coastal lakes in southeastern Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 64: 277\u2013288. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecss.2005.02.021\" id=\"return-footnote-763-1\" href=\"#footnote-763-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a>. Ideally, the engineering species should be hard in structure. In the accompanying publication Sadchatheeswaran et al. <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Sadchatheeswaran S, Branch GM, Shannon LJ, Coll M, Steenbeek J (Submitted) A novel approach to explicitly model the spatiotemporal impacts of structural complexity created by alien ecosystem engineers in a marine benthic environment. Ecological Modelling\" id=\"return-footnote-763-2\" href=\"#footnote-763-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a>, mussel and barnacle beds, which dominated the intertidal area considered, were used.<\/p>\n<p>The Ecoengineer plugin for Ecospace, the spatial\u2010temporal modelling routine of Ecopath with Ecosim or EwE (Christensen and Walters 2004), is publicly available with EwE version\u00a06.6.5 and onward.<\/p>\n<h1>Using Ecoengineer<\/h1>\n<p>Setting up Ecoengineer dynamics in a EwE model thus requires the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A balanced Ecopath model, with an Ecosim and Ecospace scenario<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\"><\/li>\n<li>One or more eco\u2010engineer functional groups present in the ecosystem model<\/li>\n<li>Definition of the empirical relationship between ecoengineer biomass and structural complexity<\/li>\n<li>Definition of an Ecospace environmental driver map that will receive the amount of structural complexity<\/li>\n<li>Definition of functional responses for all functional groups that are affected by this new environmental driver<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Figure 1 outlines how to achieve this in the EwE desktop software. The steps are described in detail, below.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_766\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-766\" style=\"width: 386px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-766\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"386\" height=\"496\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-1.png 337w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-1-233x300.png 233w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-1-65x84.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-1-225x289.png 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 386px) 100vw, 386px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-766\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1. <\/strong>Outline of Ecoengineer procedure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Preparation: Set Up a Temporal\u2010Spatial Model<\/h1>\n<p>In EwE, create a balanced Ecopath model of the ecosystem that represents the first year of biomass time series of ecosystem engineers. Make sure ecosystem engineers are explicitly represented by at least one functional group. Run the model for a set number of years in Ecosim, with a time series to drive the biomass of functional groups over time. In Sadchatheeswaran et al.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Sadchatheeswaran et al. 2021, op. cit.\" id=\"return-footnote-763-3\" href=\"#footnote-763-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a> , the time series was run for 35 years (1980 to 2015), and the initial biomasses of the alien ecosystem engineer groups started low and were forced at each annual time step, rather than use fitted data, as per the recommendations of Langseth et al.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Langseth BJ, Rogers M, Zhang H (2012) Modelling species invasions in Ecopath with Ecosim: An evaluation using Laurentian Great Lakes models. Ecological Modelling 247: 251\u2013 261. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2012.08.015\" id=\"return-footnote-763-4\" href=\"#footnote-763-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a>. The biomasses of the native functional groups in the time series can be used to fit the model to observed data. The model is then ready for Ecospace, the spatial\u2010temporal modelling routine.<\/p>\n<p>In Ecospace, open and name a new scenario that should automatically run for the total number of years dictated in Ecosim. In Maps (Ecospace&gt;Input), create a base map that matches the size of the study area <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Walters C, Pauly D, Christensen V (1999) Ecospace: Prediction of mesoscale spatial patterns in trophic relationships of exploited ecosystems, with emphasis on the impacts of marine protected areas. Ecosystems 2: 539\u2013554. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s100219900101\" id=\"return-footnote-763-5\" href=\"#footnote-763-5\" aria-label=\"Footnote 5\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/a> <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Christensen and Walters 2004, op. cit.\" id=\"return-footnote-763-6\" href=\"#footnote-763-6\" aria-label=\"Footnote 6\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[6]<\/sup><\/a>. If\u00a0possible, also create depth (or zonation) and habitat layers on this map to drive functional\u00a0group biomass to preferred areas on the map, based on observational data.<\/p>\n<h1>Step 1: Enable Ecoengineer Dynamics<\/h1>\n<p>The first step to enabling ecosystem engineer dynamics is to define the empirical relationship between engineering species biomass and derived structural complexity. We implemented this connection through the Ecospace \u2018external data connections\u2019 system (Steenbeek 2021), where the Ecoengineer plug\u2010in acts as an intermediate calculator that calculates structural complexity while Ecospace executes <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Steenbeek J, Buszowski J, Christensen V, Akoglu E, Aydin K, Ellis N, Felinto D, Guitton J, Lucey S, Kearney K, Mackinson S, Pan M, Platts M, Walters C (2016). Ecopath with Ecosim as a model\u2010building toolbox: Source code capabilities, extensions, and variations. Ecological Modelling 319: 178\u2013189. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2015.06.031\" id=\"return-footnote-763-7\" href=\"#footnote-763-7\" aria-label=\"Footnote 7\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[7]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_767\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-767\" style=\"width: 831px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-767 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"831\" height=\"314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1.png 831w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1-300x113.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1-768x290.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1-65x25.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1-225x85.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture2-1-350x132.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-767\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 2 <\/strong>&#8211; Define Ecoengineer as an external data connection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>From the menu bar, go to Ecospace &gt; Define External Data Connections. Under Connect to\u00a0external spatial temporal data select the EcoEngineer driver and press Create. This new\u00a0connection should now be present under the Existing connections.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h1>Step 2: Set Up Engineer Biomass \u2013 Structural Complexity Relationship<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p>The next step is to parameterize the relationship between the ecosystem engineer biomasses and the structural complexity (Figure 3).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_769\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-769\" style=\"width: 833px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-769 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"833\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3.png 833w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3-300x270.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3-768x691.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3-65x59.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3-225x203.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-3-350x315.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-769\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 3 &#8211; <\/strong>Configure the external data connection between the ecosystem engineer biomasses and the structural complexity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Make sure the new connection is selected and press Configure.<\/p>\n<p>First, provide your Ecoengineer set\u2010up with an intuitive name and an optional description.<\/p>\n<p>In the Complexity calculations\u00a0tab, choose an ecosystem engineer in the left frame. In the right frame, select a predefined function of how structural complexity changes as a function of ecosystem engineer biomass (if suitable). Otherwise define formulae based on observational data, by entering parameters for a, b and c of y = ax2+bx+c, where y is structural complexity (cm3) and x is engineering biomass (g m\u20102). Derivation of these calculations is discussed in Sadchatheeswaran et al. <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Sadchatheeswaran S, Moloney CL, Branch GM, Robinson TB (2019) Blender interstitial volume: A novel virtual measurement of structural complexity applicable to marine benthic habitats. MethodsX 6: 1728\u20101740. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.mex\/2019.07.014.\" id=\"return-footnote-763-8\" href=\"#footnote-763-8\" aria-label=\"Footnote 8\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[8]<\/sup><\/a>. Repeat for all ecosystem engineers.<\/p>\n<h1>Step 3: Define Ecoengineer as an Environmental Driver Map<\/h1>\n<p>Once empirical relationships between habitat building biomasses and structural complexity are defined, Ecospace needs to be informed of how individual functional groups respond to structural complexity. First, a new environmental driver map is needed to receive the spatial\u2010 and temporally varying structural complexity to drive structural complexity\u2010related functional responses.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_771\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-771\" style=\"width: 977px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-771 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"977\" height=\"608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4.png 977w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4-768x478.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4-65x40.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4-225x140.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-4-350x218.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 977px) 100vw, 977px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-771\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 4 <\/strong>&#8211; Define environmental input maps.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>In the Menu bar, select Ecospace &gt; Define Environmental Driver maps. Add and name a new environmental driver. For illustration, in Figure 4, the driver was named \u2018alien complexity\u2019. The driver will show up under Environmental drivers in the Map window of Ecospace.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h1>Step 4: Connect Ecoengineer Driver to the Environmental Driver Map<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p>The environmental driver map, defined in Step 3, must receive the ecosystem engineer calculated complexity, defined in Steps 1 and 2. This is achieved by connecting the external driver (defined in step 2) to the environmental driver (defined in step 3). This will make the alien complexity map vary in response to changing habitat\u2010building biomasses.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_772\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-772\" style=\"width: 981px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-772 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"981\" height=\"652\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5.png 981w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5-768x510.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5-65x43.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5-225x150.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-5-350x233.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 981px) 100vw, 981px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-772\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 5 <\/strong>&#8211;\u00a0 External data connection setup.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the Navigator window, select Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; External data. In the main window, there will be several input maps; select Environmental drivers. Click on the column marked Slot 1 in the row marked alien complexity (for illustration)\u00a0(Figure 5).<\/p>\n<p>In the window that pops up, under available connections, select the Ecoengineer driver that you created and configured in steps 1 and 2, and click the right arrow button to connect the driver to the alien complexity map. Close the window.<\/p>\n<p>The Ecoengineer driver is applied properly when a green time series line is present in the external data\u00a0window.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h1>Step 5: Configure Group Capacity Model Settings<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p>Make sure that Ecospace niche model, the habitat foraging capacity model, knows which functional groups must respond to environmental drivers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_773\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-773\" style=\"width: 977px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-773 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"977\" height=\"606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6.png 977w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6-768x476.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6-65x40.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6-225x140.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-6-350x217.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 977px) 100vw, 977px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-773\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 6<\/strong> &#8211; Enable Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging &gt; Use environmental responses for relevant groups.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>In the Navigation window, choose Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging &gt; Group capacity model. Ensure that the option \u201cuse environmental responses\u201d is checked for all functional groups that are affected by structural complexity (Figure 6).<\/p>\n<div>\n<h1>Step 6: Create Foraging Responses<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p>Next, define how individual functional groups are affected by structural complexity.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_774\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-774\" style=\"width: 977px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-774 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"977\" height=\"606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7.png 977w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7-768x476.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7-65x40.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7-225x140.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-7-350x217.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 977px) 100vw, 977px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-774\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 7 <\/strong>&#8211; Definition of habitat based foraging response functions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging, create and define foraging responses that can be applied to the relevant functional groups in Apply foraging response window. These foraging responses dictate how the foraging arena of a functional group will vary in size as a function of changing structural complexity in the Ecospace habitat capacity model <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Christensen V, Coll M, Steenbeek J, Buszowski J, Chagaris D, Walters, CJ (2014). Representing Variable Habitat Quality in a Spatial Food Web Model. Ecosystems 17: 1397\u20131412. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021\u2010014\u20109803\u20103\" id=\"return-footnote-763-9\" href=\"#footnote-763-9\" aria-label=\"Footnote 9\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[9]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h1>Step 7: Apply Foraging Responses<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p>The last step is to make the functional groups sensitive to environmental conditions, as defined in Step 5, so that they respond to structural complexity using the functions defined in Step 6.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_775\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-775\" style=\"width: 983px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-775 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"983\" height=\"691\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8.png 983w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8-300x211.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8-768x540.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8-65x46.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8-225x158.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2056\/2023\/10\/Picture1-8-350x246.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 983px) 100vw, 983px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-775\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 8<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0 Definition of habitat based foraging response functions (next step).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Make sure that sensitive groups are configured to derive foraging capacity from environmental drivers in Ecospace&gt;Input&gt;Habitat based foraging&gt;Group capacity model.<\/p>\n<p>When Ecospace next runs, this environmental driver will be used to help drive functional groups around the map, as dictated by the foraging capacity computed by the functional responses to ecosystem engineer\u2010computed structural complexity.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure that sensitive groups are configured to derive foraging capacity from environmental drivers in Ecospace &gt; Input &gt; Habitat based foraging &gt; Group capacity model (Figure 8).<\/p>\n<p>When Ecospace next runs, this environmental driver will be used to help drive functional groups around the map, as dictated by the foraging capacity computed by the functional responses to ecosystem engineer\u2010computed structural complexity.<\/p>\n<h1>References<\/h1>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Concept: S. Sadchatheeswaran, Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Coding: J. Steenbeek, Ecopath International Initiative, Spain<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400\">Financial contributions from the University of Cape Town, the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the South African Research Chair Initiative (funded through the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and administered by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF)), and the DSI\u2010NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology are gratefully acknowledged.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-763-1\">Jones MV, West RJ (2005) Spatial and temporal variability of seagrass fishes in intermittently closed and open coastal lakes in southeastern Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 64: 277\u2013288. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecss.2005.02.021\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecss.2005.02.021<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-2\">Sadchatheeswaran S, Branch GM, Shannon LJ, Coll M, Steenbeek J (Submitted) A novel approach to explicitly model the spatiotemporal impacts of structural complexity created by alien ecosystem engineers in a marine benthic environment. Ecological Modelling  <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-3\">Sadchatheeswaran et al. 2021, op. cit. <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-4\">Langseth BJ, Rogers M, Zhang H (2012) Modelling species invasions in Ecopath with Ecosim: An evaluation using Laurentian Great Lakes models. Ecological Modelling 247: 251\u2013 261. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2012.08.015\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2012.08.015<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-5\">Walters C, Pauly D, Christensen V (1999) Ecospace: Prediction of mesoscale spatial patterns in trophic relationships of exploited ecosystems, with emphasis on the impacts of marine protected areas. Ecosystems 2: 539\u2013554. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021990010\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021990010<\/a>1 <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-5\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 5\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-6\">Christensen and Walters 2004, op. cit. <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-6\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 6\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-7\">Steenbeek J, Buszowski J, Christensen V, Akoglu E, Aydin K, Ellis N, Felinto D, Guitton J, Lucey S, Kearney K, Mackinson S, Pan M, Platts M, Walters C (2016). Ecopath with Ecosim as a model\u2010building toolbox: Source code capabilities, extensions, and variations. Ecological Modelling 319: 178\u2013189. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2015.06.031\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolmodel.2015.06.031<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-7\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 7\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-8\">Sadchatheeswaran S, Moloney CL, Branch GM, Robinson TB (2019) Blender interstitial volume: A novel virtual measurement of structural complexity applicable to marine benthic habitats. MethodsX 6: 1728\u20101740. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.mex\/2019.07.014\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.mex\/2019.07.014<\/a>. <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-8\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 8\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-763-9\">Christensen V, Coll M, Steenbeek J, Buszowski J, Chagaris D, Walters, CJ (2014). Representing Variable Habitat Quality in a Spatial Food Web Model. Ecosystems 17: 1397\u20131412. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021\u2010014\u20109803\u20103\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10021\u2010014\u20109803\u20103<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-763-9\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 9\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1909,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["jeroensteenbeek"],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[62],"license":[],"class_list":["post-763","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-jeroensteenbeek"],"part":803,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1909"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1682,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/763\/revisions\/1682"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/803"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/763\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=763"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=763"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/eweguide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}