Re: Parallel Question and Swarm Future

[gross]

This is a reply to Doug's questions regarding just the parallelization 
issues. I suggest reading some of the few papers on parallelization 
of individual-based models. These will provide an indication of
the difficulties inherent in both spatial partitioning and 
distributed computing for these types of problems. The papers are:

Luh, H.-K., C. Abbott, M. Berry, E.J. Comiskey, J. Dempsey, and L. J. Gross. 
Parallelization in a spatially-explicit individual-based model (I) Spatial 
data interpolation. Computers and Geosciences 1997. 23:293-304.

Abbott, C. A., M.W. Berry, E. J. Comiskey, L. J. Gross and H.-K. Luh. 1997.
Parallel individual-based modeling of Everglades deer ecology. IEEE 
Computational Science and Engineering 4:60-72.

Mellott, L. E., M. W. Berry, E. J. Comiskey and L. J. Gross. 1998 (to appear).
The design and implementation of an individual-based predator-prey model 
for a distributed computing environment. Simulation Practice and Theory
(preprint available upon request to L. J. Gross).

Nugala, V., S. J. Allen and J. W. Haefner. 1998. Parallel implementations of 
individual-based models in biology: bulletin- and non-bulletin-board
approaches. BioSystems 45:87-97. 

Cheers,
     Lou Gross
Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    and Mathematics
Director, The Institute for Environmental Modeling
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
address@hidden
http://www.tiem.utk.edu/~gross/
http://archives.math.utk.edu/mathbio/ (Math Archives for Life Sciences)


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