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 3
... simply will never be able to deal with such complexity. The perhaps more surprising elaboration of this statement is that if a model did capture all of this – perhaps computers in the future could stomach it all? – the outcome would not ...
... simply will never be able to deal with such complexity. The perhaps more surprising elaboration of this statement is that if a model did capture all of this – perhaps computers in the future could stomach it all? – the outcome would not ...
Page 5
... simply not relevant – until, perhaps, we find patients who have a genetic disorder that disrupts this process and makes them react to medicines in surprising ways. But even then, we should not go to the other extreme and start including ...
... simply not relevant – until, perhaps, we find patients who have a genetic disorder that disrupts this process and makes them react to medicines in surprising ways. But even then, we should not go to the other extreme and start including ...
Page 6
... simply cannot find idealized hare and lynx populations that would not have interfering factors of all sorts. By conducting clever experiments? Yes, this definitely plays a large part: experiments very typically try to strip down the ...
... simply cannot find idealized hare and lynx populations that would not have interfering factors of all sorts. By conducting clever experiments? Yes, this definitely plays a large part: experiments very typically try to strip down the ...
Page 8
... simply gain their living by having learnt a mindset (plus a few mathematical tricks) that allows them to break the problem down into small pieces. This makes the assumptions explicit, and then one can derive the outcome in such small ...
... simply gain their living by having learnt a mindset (plus a few mathematical tricks) that allows them to break the problem down into small pieces. This makes the assumptions explicit, and then one can derive the outcome in such small ...
Page 10
... simply assume this happens, take an exact numerical value from experiments and build this into our model. Such models are predictive and may be precise (if we are lucky), but they do not try to aid our conceptual understanding of ...
... simply assume this happens, take an exact numerical value from experiments and build this into our model. Such models are predictive and may be precise (if we are lucky), but they do not try to aid our conceptual understanding of ...
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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...