Working with Extensions

LANDIS-II is composed of a core and extensions. The core manages species and ecoregion data, initializes extensions, reads and writes raster data (maps), manages landscape interactions, and other utility functions.

LANDIS-II extensions encapsulate the ecological science of the model. The user determines which extensions to use, dependent on the question they are asking. When running LANDIS-II, there must be one and only one succession extension. There can be zero or many disturbance extensions for a simulation. Likewise, there can be zero or many output extensions used during a simulation.

There are two steps to using an extension. First, download and install the extension. Five extensions are installed with the core model. Others are downloaded and installed as a bundle (e.g., the biomass extensions) or individually.

After extensions are installed, each scenario file must indicate which extensions to run. An extension will not run unless it is properly listed in the scenario file, even if it is installed.