HMSS
General System description
System name: Hylobius Management Support System
Acronym: HMSS
Brief overview
The aim of HMSS is to integrate knowledge related to the management of Hylobius abietis (Pine Weevil) on conifer restock sites.
Contents
Scope of the system
This tool allows the user to evaluate the risk of Hylobius abietis attack, helping to schedule the operations of conifer restocking in order to predict and reduce transplant damage, insecticide use and costs of establishment.
System origin
- Developed by Roger Moore, Andrew Peace and Stephen Bathgate.
- Used in public and private sector. Usage encouraged by FSC constraints on insecticide usage.
Support for specific issues
Guidance upon effectiveness of site operations and plant specifications in the context of reducing tree losses to Hylobius.
Support for specific thematic areas of a problem type
- Silvicultural
- Certification
- Development choices / land use zoning
- Policy/intervention alternatives
- Sustainability impact assessment (SIA)
Capability to support decision making phases
- Intelligence
- gives user optimal planting date.
- Design
- user can define alternate management regimes, e.g. increased insecticide.
- Choice
- allows user to vary species choice and management options.
- Monitor
- users must carry out system specific site based monitoring of insect populations.
Related systems
Data and data models
Typical spatial extent of application
Restock clearfell.
Forest data input
Location via OS GB six figure grid reference, e.g. NT090950. Time of felling and area felled also required.
Type of information input from user (via GUI)
Billet count (insect population) data.
Models
Forest models
Hylobius population dynamics model
Decision Support
Definition of management interventions
Timing of planting, insecticide spraying, nematode treatment, species choice.
Prescription enumerating selected possibilities at stand level.
Point based GIS/Spreadsheet population projection for the 5 year attack period.
Typical temporal scale of application
Upto 5 years of population data if sites are monitored immediately after felling.
Types of decisions supported
- Management level
- strategic decisions
- administrative decisions
- operating control decisions
- Management function
- planning decisions
- organizing decisions
- command decisions
- control decisions
- coordination decisions
- decision making situation
- unilateral
- collegial
- Bargaining / participative decision making
Decision-making processes and models
- Operations research modeling
- Direct approaches
- Heuristic manipulation of simulation models
- Multiple criteria/ranking
- Other
Output
Types of outputs
Stand version generates tables in HTML or spreadsheet/GIS compatible population projections with insect migration ranges.
Spatial analysis capabilities
- GIS links via data export.
- provides standard data import/export formats
- allows spatial analysis
Abilities to address interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and political issues
Evaluate interactions between different basic information types (biophysical, economic, social). Produce coordinated results for decision makers operating at different spatial scales facilitate social negotiation and learning
System
System requirements
- Java library deployed on Linux and Windows. UI available at stand level via web, or batch system via command line.
- Utilises many open source Java libraries, GIS required for spatial visualisation. Data currently managed in Oracle database.
Architecture and major DSS components
3 tier architecture ( UI, Models, Data)
Web based UI using JSP, HTML, CSS
Models are implemented in java and could be integrated with other DSS libraries.
Modular.
Usage
Used in public and private sector forestry in upland conditions in GB and Ireland.
Computational limitations
Fairly light computationally.
User interface
Web UI requires designed in linear style to guide user through system.
Documentation and support
Training course covering software and field based monitoring. Support available via email.
Installation
- Prerequisite knowledge: Requires web browser. Server installation requires specialised skills and tools. Batch mode requires some configuration on host machine.
- Subscription based service
