“[Humanity] is embedded in a complex world of confusing cues threatening to overwhelm [us] psychologically as much as physically. [Humanity’s] finest role in the mechanism of this planet may be to become its steersman - if [we] can learn to cut through the plethora of detail [our] knowledge has brought and ‘see” the essence of human-nature interactions. Science is unlikely to help if it continues to focus on atoms and the short term….The thesis here is that complexity must be reduced to essentials if complexity is to be overcome as an impediment to understand and correct action, and this means modeling. The specific tool envisioned is overview models that are macroscopic in viewpoint but minidimensional in complexity - “macroscopic minimodels”…Just as an artist seeks to capture an impression of what he views, scientists also must find ways to suppress detail and formulate the subjective qualitative essence of facts and figures.” (From a chapter titled “Macroscopic Minimodels of Man and Nature” by H.T Odum, in a book titled Systems Analysis and Simulation in Ecology, edited by B. Patten, 1976)

The following links allow you to download macroscopic mini-models in several different formats (BASIC, EXCEL, and EXTEND). Each folder contains instructions for obtaining the software (TRUBASIC, and EXTEND) and running the models, as well as explanations of each model.

BASIC models (MAC)

BASIC models (WIN)

EXCEL models (MAC/WIN)

EXTEND models (MAC)

EXTEND models (WIN)

System Diagrams

 his site copyright © 2003 by the University of Florida Center for Environmental Policy.  All rights reserved.  This information cannot be copied or distributed without express written permission.