Coupling equation based models and agent-based models: example of a multi-strains and switch SIR toy model

Abstract

Modeling in ecol ogy or epidemiol ogy gener all y opposes tw o classes of models, Equa tion Based Models and Agent Based Models. Mathema tical models all ow predicting the long- term dynamics of the studied systems. How ever, the variability betw een individ uals is diÿcul t to represen t, wha t makes these more suitable models for larg e and homog eneous popula tions. Mul ti-agent models all ow represen ting the attributes and beha vior of each individ ual and theref ore provide a grea ter lev el of detail. In return, these systems are more diÿcul t to anal yze. These approaches have often been compared, but rarel y used sim ul taneousl y. We propose a hybrid approach to couple equa tions models and agent-based models, as well as its implemen tation on the modeling pla tform Gama [8]. We focus on the represen tation of a classical theoretical epidemiol ogical model (SIR model) and we ill ustr ate the construction of a class of models based on it.