The modelling component relies on the existence of mechanistic models (biome models) that predict the distributions of broad-scale ecosystem types (biomes) as a function of the physical environment.
(The modelling component; relies; on the existence of mechanistic models) (mechanistic models; predict; the distributions of broad-scale ecosystem types)
The modelling component mechanistic models
relies predict
on the existence of mechanistic models
the distributions of broad-scale ecosystem types