Course information
Time: 10.1.-15.2.2011, mon-tue 8:15-12:00 (One free week, 7.-8.2., for preparing reports)
Place: BIO3 4403.
Responsible teacher: university lecturer Pedro J. Aphalo
Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites, but basic knowledge of Ecology and Physiological Plant Ecology recommended. No computer programming experience required. Suositellaan luentosarjojen Ekologian perusteet sekä Fysiologinen kasviekologia suorittamista etukäteen.
Objectives and contents: Basic concepts of simulation models and their use. Philosophy of science and the use of models. Interplay of modelling and empirical research. Uses in physiological plant ecology. Examples: 1) Plant growth. 2) Stomatal function and water use by plants. 3) Regulation of the annual growth cycle of perennial plants in relation to the seasons.
Teaching and studying: Participation in lectures (26 h) and practicals (20 h) is obligatory (80% minimum). Report writing and its presentation in the seminar.
Reading: Obligatory: material available in Moodle. Supplementary: Ford, Andrew (1999) Modelling the environment.
Exam and repeats: none.
Evaluation: reports, seminar presentation, work in class. Scale pass/fail.
Course homepage: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/aphalo/teaching/courses/ecomodels-course/
Enrollment: self-enrolment in WebOodi one month before start of the course. Maximum 10 students, minimum 5 students.
Detailed contents
What is a model?
A very general definition of model, from the viewpoint of its relation to reality is that given by Mimsky:
“An object ‘A’ is a model of an object ‘B’ for an observer ‘C’, if the observer can use ‘A’ to answer questions that interest him about ‘B’.”
(Ören 1984)
Approach
Our approach is based on the idea that systems thinking, model building, and model use are guided by principles and methods that are independent of the subject matter. Even though we will mainly work with examples from physiological plant ecology and ecosystem ecology, the focus will be on simulation modelling principles and methods. To some extent I will try to teach a new way of thinking. I hope that what you will learn will be useful in research, management of natural and man-made systems, and even in everyday life.
In the practicals we will build and play with models. We will use software that allows the building of the models graphically (with icons and lines) so you will not need to write computer programs directly. We will use Simile for this.
Contents
- Basic concepts of simulation models and their use.
- What is a model?
- What can we do with models?
- We all use models all the time.
- Modelling paradigms
- System dynamics
- Philosophy of science and the use of models.
- The role of models in scientific research
- Interplay of modelling and empirical research.
- Designing models
- Building models
- Testing and validating models
- Documenting models
- Using models
- Software
- Simile
- Uses in physiological plant ecology.
- The growth of a plant
- Stomatal function and water use by plants
- Regulation of the annual growth cycle of perennial plants in relation to the seasons
- Build your own model