System dynamics modeling is used in many disciplines to examine the various ways in which dynamic system function. At the University of Stirling system dynamics has been used since 1978 to model environment processes and contribute to the management of environmental problems. These two aspects of environmental research haven been reinforced by new developments in computing technology and by greater awareness of the importance of environmental problems by both politicians and lay people. At present, however, system dynamicists have remained aloof from many developments in computing technology and it will be argued that that could be failing to make a major contribution to the understanding and resolution of environmental problems. The main thrust of this paper is to argue that system dynamics needs to be extended into a more general framework so that detailed investigations of major environmental problems can be undertaken. In particular it is suggested that system dynamics needs to develop dynamic models to interact with several areas of information technology, especially database, quantitative methods, geographical information system (GIS) and experts systems in order to contribute further to the understanding and management of environmental problems. This argument is illustrated with a description of a prototype, integrated and general environmental research and management system (GERMS) developed explicitly to address the problem of modeling and management water quality in the forth estuary, Scotland. Some of the results of this research and its implications for environmental management are discussed. It is suggested that further development along these lines could be made to ensure that system dynamics make an even greater contribution to try to resolve many of the environmental problems which surrounds us.

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Date created

• 1994

Type

• Document

Processing Activity

• Processing documentation available at: https://wiki.albany.edu/display/SCA/Processing+Ingested+Digital+Files

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• Creative Commons BY-NC-ND Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International

  
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fe35db792b573af835d96e6eba4759cd

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Collection

System Dynamic Society Records

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Collecting area

• This collection is part of the University Archives