LASS is a simple command driven language for running spatially explicit vegetation dynamic models and analysing their results. It was developed by Pausas & Ramos (2006, pdf) Currently, it includes the following models:

• A spatial version of the gap mode BROLLA (Pausas 1999, pdf)
• The MELCA model (Pausas 2003, pdf): a simple cellular automata model.
• The FATELAND model (Pausas 2006 pdf): a spatial version of the FATE model (by Moore & Noble 1990).

LASS is a very flexible modelling tool for analysing and simulating vegetation dynamics at landscape scale. The three spatially-explicit models currently available in LASS (MELCA, FATELAND and BROLLA) include a range of possible models for predictiong vegetation and landscape dynamics subject to recurrent disturbances. They range from a very simple landscape qualitative model (presence/absence) in which each cell can only grow one species (MELCA), to a semiquantitative model with different species in each cell (FATELAND), to a fully quantitative individual-based model where each plant is tracked in each cell (BROLLA). LASS also include tools for spatial statistics. The three models are specially designed to simulate fire-prone (e.g. Mediterranean) vegetation dynamics (see Pausas 1999a, 2003, 2006; Pausas & Ramos 2004, 2006; Lloret et al. 2003, [see modelling references in the publication list by topics]).

Applications

• Pausas J.G. & Lloret F. 2007. Spatial and temporal patterns of plant functional types under simulated fire regimes. Internat. J. Wildland Fire 16: 484-492. [pdf] [doi] [CSIRO publishing]
• Pausas J.G., Lloret F. & Vilà M. 2006. Simulating the effects of different disturbance regimes on Cortaderia selloana invasion. Biological Conservation 128: 128-135 [pdf] [DOI] [ScienceDirect]
• Pausas J.G. 2006. Simulating Mediterranean landscape pattern and vegetation dynamics under different fire regimes. Plant Ecology 187:249 - 259. [pdf] [doi] [SpringerLink]
• Pausas J.G. & Ramos J.I. 2006. Landscape Analysis and Simulation Shell (LASS). Environmental Modelling and Software, 21(5): 629-639. [pdf] [DOI] [ScienceDirect] [Elsevier]
• Pausas, J.G. & Ramos, J.I. 2004. Landscape pattern, fire regime and vegetation dynamics - A modelling approach. In: Arianoutsou, M. & Papanastasis, V.P. (eds.). Ecology, Conservation and Management of Mediterranean Climate Ecosystems of the World. MEDECOS 10th International Conference, Rhodes, Greece. Millpress, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Download

LASS is a free software and comes with absolutely no warranty. You are welcome to used it and redistribute it for research purpose, but it cannot be commercialised.

Installation requirements: MS Windows 95 or superior.

Installation is very simple:

• Download the necessary files.
• Unzip the files. All unzipped files should be located under the same folder (subdirectory).
• LASS can be started by double clicking on the lass.exe file.
• Once the user is within the LASS window, the different models can be started by using the command: library (see the help).

References

• Moore, A.D. & Noble, I.R. 1990. An individualistic model of vegetation stand dynamics. J. Environ. Manage. 31: 61-81.
• Pausas modelling papers
• Pausas publications list

Acknowledgements

The development of the LASS has been financed by the projects SPREAD (EVG1-2001-00043, European Union), INVASORAS (REN2000-0361, Spanish Government) and EUFireLab (EVR1- 2001-00054, European Union)