Synopses & Reviews
This book introduces readers to a set of powerful and extremely flexible modeling techniques, starting at "square one" and continuing with carefully chosen applications. Some of these applications of methodology include insect oviposition behavior, overwinter survival of birds and fish, avian migration, resource management, conservation biology, agroecology, and human behavior. This book also explains how to construct, test, and use dynamic state variable models in a wide range of contexts in evolutionary ecology. And its complete and up-to-date coverage allows readers to immediately begin using the described techniques. Dynamic State Variable Models in Ecology is designed for self-instruction or for use in upper division undergraduate or graduate courses. It is ideal for students and scientists interested in behavior, ecology, anthropology, conservation biology, and related fields.
Review
"Clark ... and Mangel ... offer, as its title implies, a self-teaching introduction to the construction, testing, and application of dynamic state variable models. These are highly flexible individual optimization models of behavior involving restraints and tradeoffs as they affect individual fitness. This model approach employs the computational techniques of backward and forward iteration to arrive at some understanding of a phenomenon that cannot be studied directly. The first three chapters cover the basics of developing and using mechanistic dynamic state variable models. ... The remaining nine chapters provide examples of the use of dynamic state variable models in a variety of contexts ... The book demands some minimal proficiency in mathematics and skill in computer programming. A useful reference and manual for ecology, behavioral and conservation biology, and evolutionary ecology scientists. Graduate students; faculty and researchers."--Choice
Review
"Clark ... and Mangel ... offer, as its title implies, a self-teaching introduction to the construction, testing, and application of dynamic state variable models. These are highly flexible individual optimization models of behavior involving restraints and tradeoffs as they affect individual
fitness. This model approach employs the computational techniques of backward and forward iteration to arrive at some understanding of a phenomenon that cannot be studied directly. The first three chapters cover the basics of developing and using mechanistic dynamic state variable models. ... The
remaining nine chapters provide examples of the use of dynamic state variable models in a variety of contexts ... The book demands some minimal proficiency in mathematics and skill in computer programming. A useful reference and manual for ecology, behavioral and conservation biology, and
evolutionary ecology scientists. Graduate students; faculty and researchers."--Choice
Synopsis
This book introduces readers to a set of powerful and extremely flexible modeling techniques--starting at "square one"--and is ideal for students and scientists in behavior studies, ecology, anthropology, conservation biology, and related fields.
Synopsis
This book introduces readers to a set of powerful and extremely flexible modeling techniques, starting at "square one" and continuing with carefully chosen applications. Some of these applications of methodology include insect oviposition behavior, overwinter survival of birds and fish, avian migration, resource management, conservation biology, agroecology, and human behavior. This book also explains how to construct, test, and use dynamic state variable models in a wide range of contexts in evolutionary ecology, and its complete and up-to-date coverage allows readers to immediately begin using the described techniques. Dynamic State Variable Models in Ecology is designed for self-instruction or for use in upper division undergraduate or graduate courses. It is ideal for students and scientists interested in behavior, ecology, anthropology, conservation biology, and related fields.
Table of Contents
1. The Basics
2. Some Details of Technique
3. Using the Model
4. Oviposition Behavior of Insect Parasitoids
5. Winter Survival Strategies
6. Avian Migration
7. Human Behavioral Ecology
8. Conservation Biology
9. Agroecology
10. Population-Level Models
11. Stochasticity, Uncertainty, and Information as a State Variable
12. Measures of Fitness
Appendix: Programs Available at the OUP Web Site
References
Index