Equivalence Arguments for Complex Systems Simulations – A Case-Study

Complex systems are often simulated to provide a basis for research or analysis. However, complex systems simulation often fails to properly demonstrate that the constructed simulation is an adequate tool to support investigation of the system under study. To address this issue we adopt and adapt argumentation techniques traditionally used for safety critical systems (SCS). Here we present part of an on-going case-study in which these techniques are used to demonstrate that two different implementations of a complex system simulation are adequately equivalent. This is a first step in producing further simulations of the system under study, which will be shown to be valid models on which to explore particular ecological phenomena.