Emergent properties in individual-based ecological models-introducing case studies in an ecosystem research context

The ecosystem based investigations are presented together with an overview of the employed modelling methodology. In addition, it is explained, how the conceptual background of emergent properties is involved in this approach. The individual-based modelling approach allows realistic descriptions and is highly adaptive to particular contexts and questions under investigation. Its main feature is that the characteristics of higher level ecological units like populations or communities can be determined as emergent properties from the lower ones.