Course Description

Back to top

Ecological Modeling will provide a comprehensive overview of the modeling of ecological systems to include biological and environmental systems. The class will provide an in-depth exploration of the methods used for modeling ecological and environmental systems with an emphasis on system dynamics and agent-based modeling. We will examine concepts of complex systems, including emergent properties, nonlinearities and feedbacks between system components. We will utilize the system dynamics software Stella and the agent-based programming language Netlogo.

Course Requisites or Co-requisites

Back to top

Graduate Level standing

Course Goals

Back to top

Course objectives

1. The student will be able to describe system feedbacks, emergence, and other properties of complex ecological systems.
2. The student will be able to describe the fundamental properties of systems and system dynamics modeling.
3. The student will be able to describe the structure and characteristics of agent-based models.
4. The student will apply system dynamic and agent-based modeling approaches to model ecological systems and their relationship to the climate and human components of the Earth system.
5. The student will apply system dynamic and agent-based modeling approaches to construct a model of an ecological system, then calibrate, validate, and analyze the model, and produce a written description of the model and its behavior.

Class Structure. Students will achieve course objectives through readings, other media, online discussions and individual and model-building exercises.

1. Readings. Students will complete assigned readings from course texts and other assigned sources.

2. Media. Students will watch a variety of videos and other media that reinforce and supplement the assigned readings. These may include full length documentaries, shorter video presentations, and podcasts. The online discussions and learning assessments will integrate material from all media.

3. Online discussions. Students will participate in online discussions that examine and analyze the concepts presented in the readings and assigned media for each course module.

4. Exercises. Students will complete assigned exercises in building ecological models. This will involve learning basic modeling concepts and becoming proficient in using the programming platforms Stella and Netlogo.

5. Research paper and presentation. Students will construct, parameterize, and analyze a model of an ecological system. The students will present this model in class and write a research paper using the model.

6. Learning Assessments. Quizzes will assess student understanding of assigned readings and videos for each course module, while a cumulative final exam will assess student understanding of content across modules.

Grading

Back to top

Student grades will be based on the following components:

1. Analysis and discussion (on Yellowdig) of assigned materials: 20% of course grade.
2. Learning assessments on assigned materials: 20% of course grade.
3. Completion of exercises: 20% of course grade.
4. Research paper: 10% of course grade.
5. Research presentation: 5% of course grade.
6. Final exam: 25% of course grade.
7. Grading Scale:

Grades less than 70 are considered failing for grad courses.

Readings

Back to top

Students will be assigned readings from the following set of books (below). These books will be required for this class and are available as ebooks from the publisher or other online sources (e.g., Amazon, etc.) or in the university bookstore.

1. Uri Wilensky and William Rand. 2015. An Introduction to Agent-Based Modeling: Modeling Natural, Social, and Engineered Complex Systems with NetLogo. ISBN: 9780262731898. Link to book.
2. Bruce Hannon and Matthias Ruth. 2014. Modeling dynamic biological systems. ISBN: 9783319056159 eBook ISBN: 9783319056142 Link to book.
3. Meadows, D.H., 2008. Thinking in systems: A primer. Chelsea Green Publishing. ISBN: 9781603580557. Link to book.

Media

Back to top

We will watch a variety of documentaries, video lectures, and podcasts. I try to find free sources of these media, but you may have to rent, purchase, or find them through a subscription service (e.g., Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple TV, etc.).

GETTING STARTED

Back to top

Policies

• Academic Honesty and Plagiarism
• Student Learning Accomodations
• Academic Integrity
• Religious Holidays