Modelling for Field Biologists and Other Interesting PeopleStudents of evolutionary and behavioural ecology are often unfamiliar with mathematical techniques, though much of biology relies on mathematics. Evolutionary ideas are often complex, meaning that the logic of hypotheses proposed should not only be tested empirically but also mathematically. There are numerous different modelling tools used by ecologists, ranging from population genetic 'bookkeeping', to game theory and individual-based computer simulations. Due to the many different modelling options available, it is often difficult to know where to start. Hanna Kokko has designed this 2007 book to help with these decisions. Each method described is illustrated with one or two biologically interesting examples that have been chosen to help overcome fears of many biologists when faced with mathematical work, whilst also providing the programming code (Matlab) for each problem. Aimed primarily at students of evolutionary and behavioural ecology, this book will be of interest to any biologist interested in mathematical modelling. |
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Page 6
... argument 'from X follows Y' is a valid statement to offer, one has to put it in a mathematical form. The analogy with an experimenter's work is very important here. Experiments could also be (and often indeed are) criticized for being ...
... argument 'from X follows Y' is a valid statement to offer, one has to put it in a mathematical form. The analogy with an experimenter's work is very important here. Experiments could also be (and often indeed are) criticized for being ...
Page 7
... argument is correct. Are you interested in finding out if the simple fact that predators eat prey can in principle lead to population cycles? If so, go and model it. But whether this fact actually does cause cycles in real populations ...
... argument is correct. Are you interested in finding out if the simple fact that predators eat prey can in principle lead to population cycles? If so, go and model it. But whether this fact actually does cause cycles in real populations ...
Page 8
Hanna Kokko. end up arguing about whether from X really follows Y or not, and it is the same reason why the modelling ... arguments immediately and without external help. What is the optimal complexity of a model, then? Once again, it ...
Hanna Kokko. end up arguing about whether from X really follows Y or not, and it is the same reason why the modelling ... arguments immediately and without external help. What is the optimal complexity of a model, then? Once again, it ...
Page 10
... argument that explains male trait evolution; now go and find out if it really is the case. The need to test assumptions and not just predictions of a model can hardly be overemphasized. But as we have just learnt, assumptions never ...
... argument that explains male trait evolution; now go and find out if it really is the case. The need to test assumptions and not just predictions of a model can hardly be overemphasized. But as we have just learnt, assumptions never ...
Page 14
... argument is that evolution can very well favour 'selfish' genes (Dawkins 1976), so even if the male trait hampered the production of future generations, one could imagine it taking over. Yet, the fact that the male 14 Modelling for ...
... argument is that evolution can very well favour 'selfish' genes (Dawkins 1976), so even if the male trait hampered the production of future generations, one could imagine it taking over. Yet, the fact that the male 14 Modelling for ...
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Common terms and phrases
allele answer approach argument assume assumptions average become behaviour better birds breeding calculate called choice choose condition consider costs course create denote depends derivative detail develop distribution dynamic effect equals equation equilibrium evolution evolutionary exactly example expected expression fact females find first fitness foraging frequency function future gain gene genetic give given grow growth happens height higher important increase individuals interested leads less look male mathematical mating Matlab means migration nature Note offspring once optimal options parameter particular patch perhaps phenotypic plant plot population positive possible predators predict present probability problem produce proportion question reason reproductive requires resident response result rules selection simple simulations solutions strategy success territories things trait values zero
Popular passages
Page 16 - In that Empire, the craft of Cartography attained such Perfection that the Map of a Single province covered the space of an entire City, and the Map of the Empire itself an entire Province. In the course of Time, these Extensive maps were found...
Page 16 - Cartographers evolved a Map of the Empire that was of the same Scale as the Empire and that coincided with it point for point. Less attentive to the Study of Cartography, succeeding Generations came to judge a map of such magnitude cumbersome, and, not without Irreverence, they abandoned it to the Rigours of Sun and Rain. In the western Deserts, tattered Fragments of the Map are still to be found...
Page 8 - A(2:3,1:2) %from 2nd row to 3rd row, from 1st column to 2nd column ans =4 5 7 8 »A(2,:) %2nd row, all columns ans =4 5 6 The colon ( : ) is used for defining an arithmetic (equal difference) sequence without the...