ST-Sim SyncroSim Package
The ST-Sim state-and-transition simulation model
ST-Sim is an open-source SyncroSim Base Package for creating and running spatially-explicit simulation models of landscape change.
ST-Sim uses a state-and-transition simulation model (STSM) approach to forecast landscape dynamics, including projecting changes in both vegetation and land use. Because the STSM method is inherently stochastic, it is well suited for characterizing uncertainty in model projections.
STSMs have been applied to a wide range of landscapes and management questions, including forests, rangelands, grasslands, wetlands, aquatic communities and urban areas, over spatial extents ranging from thousands to millions of hectares. Additional details on the STSM approach can be found in the paper by Daniel, Frid, Sleeter, and Fortin (2016) (also summarized in a 13 minute video). The integration of STSMs with stock-flow models of continuous variables, such as biomass and carbon, can be found in a second paper by Daniel, Sleeter, Frid, and Fortin (2018).
ST-Sim is a package that plugs into the SyncroSim modeling framework. As a result, it can run under both Windows and Linux; it can also be run from the R programming language using the rsyncrosim R package and from the Python programming language using the pysyncrosim Python package.
Requirements
This package requires the latest version of Syncrosim.
How to Install
Open SyncroSim and select File -> Packages... -> Install..., then select the ST-Sim package and click OK.
Alternatively, download the latest release from GitHub. Open SyncroSim and select File -> Packages... -> Install From File..., then navigate to the downloaded package file with the extension .ssimpkg.
For further installation instructions, see the Installation page in Getting Started.
Getting Started
To start using ST-Sim, see the Quickstart and Tutorials pages in Getting Started. See the Reference page for detailed information on how to use ST-Sim.
See the Publications page for peer-reviewed examples of ways to use ST-Sim.
Both ST-Sim and SyncroSim have been designed and developed by ApexRMS. The ongoing development of ST-Sim has been generously supported by several agencies, including:
Publications
Development
The Nature Conservancy
The U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Forest Service
As a result, all software is available as a free download.