Process algebra-based computational tools in ecological modelling

Ecological systems and processes are inherently variable. The multiplicity of interacting processes and the variety of components call for multi-level, integrative models that keep track of stochasticity and quantify its consequences. Mathematics and physics already helped biologists a lot, but the composability feature of process algebra-based computational tools may provide additional help in modelling interacting stochastic processes. Compositional models can be built in a modular way, and can be easily standardized and evaluated rigorously. Following initial applications in systems biology, the concepts of parallelism and concurrency can also be of key importance to future systems ecology. We provide an overview of process algebra-based approaches in ecology, discuss the perspectives of this research line and provide a toy and a real example for illustration.

► Process algebra-based modelling tools focus on processes.
► The multiplicity of parallel interactions calls for compositional model building.
► We illustrate that the BlenX process algebra is an alternative for stochastic simulations of ecodynamics.