Consumers and their interactions with the system are clearly the focus of the study. In the producer model, photosynthesis is modelled as a product of insolation, temperature, water and plant-specific factors.
Available nitrogen is partitioned among producers using fixed coefficients.
Gross prduction is then modelled as the minimum of the photosynthesis and nitrogen terms. Net production is determined by subtracting losses for herbivory, translocation belowground and death. A simulation of the shortgrass prairie ecosystem.