• Course Syllabus,               Lecture Outline,           Lab Outline,
• Reserve Readings,            General Readings,          Journals at UNBC,
• Sample Exam Questions,    Lecture Summaries (Overheads)
• Ecological Modelling Resource Homepage

Winter 2002

PROFESOR:             Dr.  J.D. Ackerman Admin 3075 960-5839  ackerman@unbc.ca

OFFICE HOURS:    Monday    5:00-6:00; Wednesday   2:00-3:00 or by appointment

LOCATION:            Library 5-172            Monday & Wednesday 3:30-4:20
                                  Library 5-154            Thursday   2:30-5:20

HOMEPAGE:           envs406.htm

TEACHING ASSISTANT: TBA

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
To develop an understanding of theoretical and mathematical approaches in Biology with specific emphasis on Ecological Models.  Lecture topics include deterministic and stochastic models of population growth, stock recruitment, biotic interactions, transport phenomena, management of resources, and curve fitting.  Laboratory exercises will complement lecture topics and focus on the development of computer-based modelling skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
1) Student: open mind / willing to discuss and exchange views to participate
                  Academic integrity/offence (see UNBC Calendar)
2) Professor: responsive to students
                  Fair and equitable

PROBLEMS:  See one me or have me recommend someone for you to see.

PREREQUISITE:   BIOL 201 and MATH 152 (or MATH 100&101), or by permission.

COURSE TEXT:
            Required:       Ford, A. 1999. Modeling the Environment. Island Press,
                                               Washington, DC. 401pp.
                                    Vandermeer, J. 1990. Elementary Mathematical Ecology. Kreiger
                                               Publishing, Malabar, FL. 294 pp.

LAB MANUAL: To be distributed in lab.

EVALUATION:
Lab Assignments:  25%      8 regular lab assignments (2%) + Programming (9%)
Midterm Exam:     15%       In Class; includes lab and lecture material.
Term Project:       35%        Computer-based model and literature (10% + 5% + 20%).
                                            (example of term paper [ + prospectus] by Joan Pereverzoff, 1998)
Final Exam:          25%        During final exam period; lab and lecture inclusive.
                           100%
 

LATE ASSIGNMENTS: Not accepted without prior arrangement (penalty imposed).
 

LECTURE OUTLINE

Date         Lecture Topic             Section in Literature

 Part I – Modelling Populations and Growth

 7 Jan 02  (L1) Models in Ecology                           Ford Chap 1, 15, 22, App. J
 9 Jan 02  (L2)  Population Growth                         Vand. Chap. 1; Ford Chap 3
14 Jan 02 (L3) Differential and Integral Calculus      Vand. Chap. 1
16 Jan 02 (L4) Logistic Growth I                            Vand. Chap. 3; Ford Chap 6
21 Jan 02 (L5) Logistic Growth II                           Vand. Chap. 3; Ford Chap 6
23 Jan 02 (L6) Linear Algebra Applications I          Vand. Chap. 2; Ford App.
28 Jan 02 (L7) Linear Algebra Applications II         Vand. Chap. 2; Ford App.
30 Jan 02 (L8) Alternate Growth Models                Brown & Rothery Chap.  1
 4 Feb 02  (L9) Chaos                                            Vand. Chap. 3

 Part II -  Modelling in Time and Space

 6 Feb 02 (L10) Fitting Models                               Ford Chap 15
11 Feb 02 (L11) Descriptive Statistics                    Brown & Rothery Chap. 6
13 Feb 02 (L12) Inferential Statistics                      Brown & Rothery Chap. 6
25 Feb 02 (L13) Random Variables                       Ford Chap 18

27 Feb 02 (L14) Mid-Term Exam

 4 Mar 02  (L15) Time Series Analysis                   Ford Chap 17
 6 Mar 02    (L16) Spectral Analysis                       TBA
11 Mar 02  (L17) Spatial Pattern                            Vand. Chap. 6; Ford App.

 Part III -  Modelling Biological Interactions

13 Mar 02  (L18) Competition I                            Vand. Chap. 7
18 Mar 02 (L19) Competition II                            Vand. Chap. 7
20 Mar 02 (L20) Intraguild Predation                     Vand. Chap. 7
25 Mar 02 (L21) Predator-Prey I                          Vand. Chap. 8
27 Mar 02 (L22) Predator-Prey II                         Vand. Chap. 8

 Part IV – Modelling Biophysical Interactions

 3 Apr 02 (L23) Advection-Diffusion I                    TBA
 8 Apr 02 (L24) Advection-Diffusion II                   TBA
10 Apr 02(L25)  Advection-Diffusion III                 TBA

• Brown, D. and P. Rothery. 1993. Models in biology: mathematics, statistics, and computing. Wiley, New York. 688 pp.
• Vandermeer, J. 1990. Elementary Mathematical Ecology. Kreiger Publishing, Malabar, FL. 294 pp.

Lecture Summaries (Overheads)

Please click on the link above

Laboratory Outline

Laboratories will begin on Thursday January 10, 2002.

Laboratory # 1 - WWW Mathematical, Modelling, and Statistical Resources & Introduction to STELLA

Laboratory # 2 - Mathematical Functions using the computer I  (EXCEL Programming)

Laboratory # 3 - Mathematical Functions using the computer II (MAPLE Programming)

Laboratory # 4 - Numerical Modelling in BASIC

Laboratory # 5 - Population Growth Modelling

Laboratory # 6 - Statistical Modelling

Laboratory # 7 - Temporal and Spatial Modelling

Laboratory # 8  -  Introduction to DYNAMIC MODELLING in STELLA

Laboratory # 9 -  Dynamic Programming in STELLA

Laboratory # 10 - Dynamic Programming in STELLA

Laboratory # 11 - Dynamic Programming in STELLA

Laboratory # 12 - Poster Presentations
 

RESERVE READINGS
 

• Batschelet, Edward. 1976. Introduction to mathematics for life scientists.  2nd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag. CALL #: QH323.5.B37 1976
• Berg, H.C. 1993. Random Walks in Biology, New Ex Ed.  Princeton: Princeton University Press.  CALL #:QH 323.5.B45 1993
• Brown, D. and P. Rothery. 1993. Models in biology: mathematics, statistics, and computing. New York: Wiley.  CALL #: QH323.5.B756 1993
• Cartwright, T. J. 1993. Modeling the world in a spreadsheet. Baltimore, Md. : John Hopkins University Press. CALL #: QA76.9.C65 C37 1993
• Doucet, P. and P.B. Sloep. 1992. Mathematical modeling in the life sciences. Ellis Horwood series in mathematics and its applications. New York: E. Horwood.   CALL #: QH323.5.D68
• Edelstein-Keshet, Leah. 1988. Mathematical models in biology. 1st ed.  New York: McGraw-Hill. CALL #: QH323.5.E34 1988
• Eisen, Martin M. 1988. Mathematical methods and models in the biological sciences. Vol 1. N.J.: Prentice Hall.  CALL #: QH323.5.E37 1988 v.1
• Eisen, Martin M. 1988. Mathematical methods and models in the biological sciences. Vol 2. N.J.: Prentice Hall.  CALL #: QH323.5.E37 1988  v.2
• Ford, A. 1999. Modeling the Environment. Island Press, Washington, DC. 401pp. CALL #: GE45.D37 F67 1999
• Getz, Wayne M., 1989. Population harvesting: demographic models of fish, forest, and animal resources.  N.J.: Princeton University Press.   CALL #: QH352.G47
• Gillman, M. and R. Hails. 1997. An Introduction to Ecological Modelling. Blackwell Science, Oxford. 202 pp.

Handron, D.S. 1994. Poster Presentations. Nurse Educator 19:17-19,
• Hannon, B. and M. Ruth. 1994. Dynamic Modelling (Windows Run-T Version). New York, Springer-Verlag.
• High Performance Software.  1994.  STELLA II - Software Manuals. Hanover NH.
• Hoppensteadt, F. C. 1982. Mathematical methods of population biology. New York: Cambridge University Press.  CALL #: QH352.H66 1982
• Maynard Smith, John, 1982. Mathematical Ideas in Biology. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Mazumdar, J. 1989. An introduction to mathematical physiology and biology. New York: Cambridge Univ. Press.  CALL #: QP33.6.M36M39 1989
• Pagano, R.N. 1990. Minitab in Understanding statistics in the behavioral sciences. West: St. Paul.
• Pielou, E. C., 1977.  Mathematical ecology. New York : Wiley. CALL #: QH541.15.M3 P54 1977
• Pielou, E. C., 1969. An introduction to mathematical ecology. New York: Wiley-Interscience.   CALL #: QH541.P65413 1969
• Pike, M.A. 1995. How the INTERNET/WWW works. from Using the INTERNET. Que, Indianapolis.
• Renshaw, Eric. 1991. Modelling biological populations in space and time. New York: Cambridge University Press.  CALL #: QH352.R46 1991
• Vandermeer, J. 1990. Elementary Mathematical Ecology. Kreiger Publishing, Malabar, FL. 294 pp. CALL # QH541.15 .M34 V36 1990
• Zolman, J.F. 1993. Biostatistics. New York, Oxford University Press. CALL #: QH323.5.Z64 1993

• Bulmer, Michael, 1994. Theoretical evolutionary ecology. Sunderland, Mass.: Sinauer Associates.  CALL #: QH3662.B85 1994
• Burgman, Mark A. 1993. Risk assessment in conservation biology. 1st ed. New York: Chapman & Hall.   CALL #: QH352.B87 1993
• Busenberg, S.  and M. Martelli, 1991. Differential equations and applications to biology and population dynamics. Berlin; New York: Springer-Verlag.   CALL #: QH323.5.D54 1991
• Casti, J. and A. Karlqvist. 1989. Newton to Aristotle: toward a theory of models for living systems. Boston: Birkhauser.   CALL #: QH323.5.N49 1989
• Charlesworth, Brian. 1981. Evolution in age-structured populations. New York: Cambridge University Press. CALL #: QH455.C47 1980
• Clark, Colin Whitcomb, 1990. Mathematical bioeconomics: the optimal management of renewable resources. 2nd ed. New York: J. Wiley.   CALL #: QH705.C4 1990
• DeAngelis, D.L. and L. J. Gross.1992. Individual-based models and approaches in ecology: populations, communities, and ecosystems. New York: Chapman & Hall.   CALL #: QH352.I53 1992
• Gilpin, Michael E., 1975. Group selection in predator-prey communities.  N.J.: Princeton University Press.  CALL #: QH376.G55 1975
• Gotelli, Nicholas J., 1995. A primer of ecology. Sunderland, Mass.: Sinauer Associates.  CALL #: QH352.G67 1995
• Karlin, Samuel, 1986. Theoretical studies on sex ratio evolution. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. CALL #: QH481.K37 1986
• Kingsland, Sharon E. 1995. Modeling nature: episodes in the history of population ecology. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.    CALL #:  QH352.K56 1995
• Manly, Bryan F. J., 1990. Stage-structured populations: sampling, analysis, and simulation. London; New York: Chapman and Hall.   CALL #: QH352.M35 1990
• May, Robert M.  1974. Stability and complexity in model ecosystems. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.  CALL #: QH541.15.M3 M38 1974
• Maynard Smith, John, 1982. Evolution and the theory of games. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.   CALL #: QH371.M325 1982
• Okubo, A. 1980. Diffusion and Ecology. Berlin: Springer Verlag. CALL #: QH 541.15 M3O38
• Patten, B.C. 1971-1976. Systems analysis and simulation in ecology.  PUBLISHED: New York. CALL #: QH541.15.M3 S97 v.1 to v. 4
• Poole, Robert W. 1974. An introduction to quantitative ecology. New York: McGraw-Hill.  CALL #: QH541.P66 1974
• Roff, Derek A., 1992. The evolution of life histories: theory and analysis. New York: Chapman & Hall.   CALL #: QH323.5.R62 1992
• Steen, L.A. 1978. Mathematics today: twelve informal essays. New York: Springer-Verlag.   CALL #: QA7.M3447 1978
• Tu, Pierre N. V. 1994. Dynamical systems: an introduction with applications in economics and biology. 2nd rev. and enl. ed. Berlin; New York: Springer-Verlag.   CALL #: QA614.8.T87 1994
• Watt, K.E.F. 1966. Systems analysis in ecology. New York: Academic Press. CALL #: QH541.S97 1966

 

The following is a partial list of journals from the UNBC Library that may have appropriate papers for your assignments and general interests.  Remember that thousands of other journals are available through interlibrary loan (also consult mod-res.htm).
 

• American Naturalist
• American Scientist
• BioScience
• Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science
• Conservation Biology
• Ecological Applications
• Ecological Monographs
• Ecology
• Ecoscience
• Evolution
• Freshwater Biology
• Functional Ecology
• Genetics
• Journal of Applied Ecology
• Journal of Ecology
• Limnology & Oceanography
• Nature
• Science
• Scientific American
• Trends in Ecology & Evolution.