A Practical Guide to Ecological Modelling: Using R as a Simulation Platform - Softcover

Soetaert, Karline; Herman, Peter M. J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 904817936X ISBN 13: 9789048179367

Verlag: Springer, 2010

Inhaltsangabe

Mathematical modelling is an essential tool in present-day ecological research. Yet for many ecologists it is still problematic to apply modelling in their research. In our experience, the major problem is at the conceptual level: proper understanding of what a model is, how ecological relations can be translated consistently into mathematical equations, how models are solved, steady states calculated and interpreted. Many textbooks jump over these conceptual hurdles to dive into detailed formulations or the mathematics of solution. This book attempts to fill that gap. It introduces essential concepts for mathematical modelling, explains the mathematics behind the methods, and helps readers to implement models and obtain hands-on experience. Throughout the book, emphasis is laid on how to translate ecological questions into interpretable models in a practical way.

The book aims to be an introductory textbook at the undergraduate-graduate level, but will also be useful to seduce experienced ecologists into the world of modelling. The range of ecological models treated is wide, from Lotka-Volterra type of principle-seeking models to environmental or ecosystem models, and including matrix models, lattice models and sequential decision models. All chapters contain a concise introduction into the theory, worked-out examples and exercises. All examples are implemented in the open-source package R, thus taking away problems of software availability for use of the book. All code used in the book is available on a dedicated website.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Karline Soetaert studied Biology and Computer Science at Ghent University (Belgium), where she completed her PhD in Biology in 1989. She is now head of the Ecosystem Studies department at the Netherlands Institute of Sea Research in Yerseke, the Netherlands. She is also a guest professor at the University of Ghent and the Free University of Brussels. In her research she makes frequent use of mathematical models. She has authored over 130 papers in international journals and one book dealing with ecological modeling in R. She is the (co) author of several R-packages on CRAN (deSolve, bvpSolve, ReacTran, rootSolve, deTestSet, limSolve, LIM, ToxLim, NetIndices, FME, shape, diagram, ecolMod, marelac, AquaEnv, BCE). Jeff Cash received his Mathematics degree from Imperial College, London in 1969 and then moved to St John's college, Cambridge, where he studied for a PhD in the solution of differential equations under the guidance of Dr J.C.P. Miller. Having finished at Cambridge he returned to Imperial College as a member of staff in the Mathematics department and he has stayed there ever since. He was subsequently promoted to reader and then to Professor in Numerical Analysis. His research has been mainly on the solution of difference and differential equations. He has published several codes (MEBDFI, Cash-Karp and TWPBVP) and is the author of more than 100 scientific papers. Francesca Mazzia earned her undergraduate degree in Computer Science at the University of Bari, Italy and started her scientific career as a research assistant in Numerical Analysis in 1990. In 2000 she was appointed associate professor at the University of Bari. Her research activities mainly concern numerical methods for the solution of ordinary differential equations. She has authored over 50 papers in international journals and is the (co)author of two R packages currently available from CRAN (bvpSolve, deTestSet).

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Many texts on ecological models jump to describing either particular relations or computational results, without treating in detail the conceptual and mathematical basis of many steps in modelling: why set up models, what are basic conceptual models, how do conservation laws come in, how are models solved, what are steady states. This book is intended to bridge this gap. It is intended as an introductory text for graduate and post-graduate students, but also as a help for experienced ecologists who want to make more of their data by modelling. It contains many examples, all worked out in the open-source package R, providing the reader the opportunity to practice all methods and get hands-on experience.

Audience:
This book will be of interest to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in ecology, biology, geology, bio-engineering, and to some extent students from physics and chemistry.

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Springer
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2010
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 904817936X
• ISBN 13: 9789048179367
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 388
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: ProductSafety@springernature.com; ProductSafety@springernature.com; ; Poststr. 9; Darmstadt; 64293; Deutschland