Simulation and verification in a process calculus for spatially-explicit ecological models

Abstract

We propose PALPS, a Process Algebra with Locations for Population Systems. PALPS allows us to produce spatially-explicit individual-based ecological models and to reason about their behavior. PALPS has two abstraction levels: At the first level, we may define the behavior of an individual of a population and, at the second level, we may specify a system as the collection of individuals of various species located in space. In PALPS, the individuals move through their life cycle while changing their location and interact with each other in various ways such as predation, infection or mating. Furthermore, we propose a translation of a subset of PALPS into the probabilistic model checker PRISM. We illustrate our framework via models of dispersal in metapopulations and by applying PRISM on PALPS models for verifying temporal logic properties and conducting reachability and steady-state analysis. © Scientific Annals of Computer Science 2013.