A grid service module for natural-resource managers

To facilitate transparent use of the high-performance Across Trophic-Level System Simulation (ATLSS) ecosystem-modeling package for natural-resource management, the authors developed a grid service module. The module exploits grid middleware functionality to process complex computation without requiring users to handle underlying issues. It represents the first application of grid computing to this discipline and provides a potential template for researchers in other disciplines to exploit scientific computation without extensive training in high-performance computing.