Decision support systems for managing ecosystems impacted by aerobiota that move long distances

Managing ecosystems with the objective of maintaining the integrity of their many populations is extremely difficult. Not only does this require a sound understanding of the life histories of organisms and the relationships among organisms and their environments, but also it necessitates good programs to monitor the current state of the ecosystem and to forecast its future states. This paper presents the essential elements of a decision support system for managing human and natural environments impacted by aerobiota and argues that building effective decision support system is an important scientific challenge for aerobiologists in the future. The structure of the North American Plant Disease Forecasting Center is presented as a useful model for decision support in aerobiology.