Which benefits in the use of a modeling platform : the VSoil example

In the environmental community the need for coupling the models and the associated knowledges emerged recently. The development of a coupling tool or of a modeling platform is mainly driven by the necessity to reate models accounting for multiple processes and to take into account the feed back between these processes. Models focusing on a restricted number of processes exist and thus the coupling of these numerical tools appeared as an efficient and rapid mean to fill up the identified gaps. Several tools have been proposed : OMS3 (David et al. 2013) ; CSDMS framework (Peckham et al. 2013) ; the Open MI project developed within the frame of European Community (Open MI, 2011). However, what…