Mathematical Modeling and Conservation

Formal models are indispensable tools in natural resource management and in conservation biology. Explicit modeling can be a helpful tool for studying these systems, communicating across disciplines, and integrating varying viewpoints of numerous stakeholders. This module demonstrates how to explicitly construct models as alternative representations to help interpret and understand nature. Through a synthesis and two exercises, it describes the general context of scientific modeling (i.e., use and types of models), and allows students to practice building a model by evaluating the relationship between rabbit and fox population dynamics - from stating the problem, constructing a dynamic hypothesis, and formulating and testing the model.