Dynamic Modeling for Marine Conservation provides a method of describing marine systems to people from many different fields. The difficulties of research and experimentation in the ocean make computer modeling a particularly helpful tool in marine conservation, and models are also well-suited to communicate the complexity of systems. Each chapter introduces a key issue or principle in marine conservation, and guides the reader through a computer model using the included STELLA software. Selected contributors discuss real-world applications of each model, bringing experience and expertise in marine conservation.
The effects of disturbed ecosystems, from devastating algal blooms to the loss of whale populations, have demonstrated the vulnerability of the oceans'biodiversity. This book provides methods for learning how ocean systems function, how natural and human actions put them in peril, and how we can influence the marine world in order to maintain biodiversity. The difficulties of research in the oceans make computer modeling particularly helpful for marine conservation. The authors demonstrate dynamic modeling through the use of the STELLA modeling program and case studies from marine conservation.
From the reviews:"The main aim of this book is to explore the ecological complexity in marine systems in the light of setting a new conservation agenda using the power of dynamic modeling via the graphical programming language of STELLA Research software. ? I recommend this book to anyone interested in actively learning about and understanding the new challenges in marine conservation and related issues." (Andrea Belgrano, Ecology, Vol. 83 (9), 2002)
