Introduction to Modeling in Wildlife and Resource Conservation

This book provides students with the skills to develop their own models for application in conservation biology and wildlife management. Assuming no special mathematical expertise, the computational models used are kept simple and show how to develop models in both spreadsheet and programming language format. This work: develops thought-provoking applications which emphasize the value of modelling as a learning tool; examines basic descriptive equations, matrix representations, consumer-resources interactions, applications in simulation, scenarios, harvesting, population viability, metapopulation dynamics, disease outbreaks, vegetation stage and state dynamics, habitat suitability assessment, and model selection statistics; and, includes a wide range of examples relating to birds, fish, plants and large African mammals.