Qualitative models of population dynamics
- Student: Elinor Bakker
- Onderdeel afstudeerproject: werkstuk
(PDF)
- Afgerond: Mei 2006
- Begeleiding: Dr. B. Bredeweg
Samenvatting
Conceptual models are important means for ecologists towards ecological theory development.
Qualitative reasoning can be used to represent and simulate conceptual models.
Such models represent knowledge about structure, causality, active processes,
and the qualitatively distinct behaviours of the system. This thesis discusses
the development and evaluation of a qualitative model in the field of population
ecology, and includes the following aspects. A review of the literature
identifying the important principles underlying populations and communities
in nature. A design and implementation of a qualitative model formalising
these principles following the structured approach to modelling developed
in the NaturNet-Redime project. A model test and model evaluation
by (1) running simulations with the model in different scenarios,
(2) comparing the model to a competing approach referred to as the
R-star model, and (3) an expert review using two domain experts.