This unit introduces students to basic principles of ecological modelling, including the respective conceptualization, construction, analysis and use. Students will develop their knowledge and skills through a series of readings and theoretical discussions, as well as exercises that culminate in the design, implementation and evaluation of their own simulation model.
At the end of this unit students will be able to:
1. Build and use simulation models to assess ecological hypotheses;
2. Understand the fundamental concepts of ecological modelling, and their application;
3. Interpret and critique primary literature on models and,
4. Communicate modelling results to a specialized and non-specialized audience.
Basic concepts of ecosystems modeling. Types and functions of the models; conceptual diagrams. Systems theory and introduction to the programming environments to be used in the unit. Steps in the modeling process, from the formulation of the problem and parameter estimation, to validation and hypotheses testing. Classes of models and case studies. Test models as predictive tools. Categories of model tests and evaluation criteria.
The teaching will include lectures on the theoretical components. Each theoretical module will indicate the basic bibliography that students should read in preparation for class; the lecture will be accompanied by a presentation covering essential concepts. Time will also be taken to analyze and discuss models presented in the literature. In every class there will be a practical component in which students begin to explore concepts and then move to the development of models of increasing complexity; these will constitute the respective formative assessment.
Grant & Swannack, 2008. Ecological Modelling. A common sense approach to theory and practice. Blackwell Pub.
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