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Welcome to Christina's webpage for Mission 2006.

Mission:
Our team mission is to gain an understanding of mathematical modeling of biological systems as well as an understanding of actual ecological processes occuring in the Rainforest.  We will apply this knowledge, along with useful information from other groups, to create two models of specific examples of interactions in the Rainforest.  We will use these models to make recommendations on some vital parameters necessary to maintain ecological equilibrium.

Most Recent Research:

The most important developments we have had so far are our division into the ArcView and the VenSim subgroups.  My group is learning how to use ArcView and we have been spending the last week getting ourselves acquainted with this program and trying to learn some of the techniques through self-tutorial.  This Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30 in the Rotch Library we will be meeting with a GIS specialist who will teach us how best to use ArcView and to lead us through the use of Population Viability Analysis (PVA) tools.  By the end of the week, we hope to be well enough versed in the use of these tools to make some preliminary plots.

Since we have moved on from our traditional research phase, and onto simulated field research, no additional research has been necessary, but there are some key tips for monitoring that I have learned.  Firstly, measurements dealing with a population are extremely hard to make accurately, so the best we can do is estimate in our models.  Secondly, when we model the population only a few specifics can be directly brought into the model, in order to have a model that doesn't become unwieldy and overly convoluted, therefore we must make our model as simple as possible, to make it as useful and as general as we can.  Lastly, the major concept seen throughout my research has been that of the use of mathematical equations to represent all properties of a population, however, through our group's use of formulas, we have found, particularly when we use VenSim, that there is a benefit to having equations just for certain relationships, thereby simplifying the expression we use.  We know do not have the long over-complicated equations used in the books I researched.  After learning this, my sub group is now prepared to use ArcView to model a specific species through PVA.

My diary of research has been archived.
 

Goals for Next Week:
Learn how to use ArcView and Population Viability Analysis tools, through time spent at Rotch Library with the GIS specialist, and also time spent downloading data and using the programs outside of class.
 

Bibliography:

Hutchinson, G. Evelyn.  An Introduction to Popu.lation Ecology.  Westford, MA:  The Murray Printing Company, 1978.

Peilou, E.C.  An Introduction to Mathematical Ecology.  New York:  Wiley-Interscience, 1969.

Spellerberg, Ian. F.  Monitoring Ecological Change.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 1991.

Suter II, Glenn W.  Ecological Risk Assessment.  Chelsea, Michigan:  Lewis Publishers, 1993.

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Last Updated:  October 21, 2002

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