To Model or not to Model, That is no Longer the Question for Ecologists
TLDR
It is argued that the division between “field ecologists” and “modelers” should be abandoned, and modeling and empirical research are embraced as two powerful and often complementary approaches in the toolbox of 21st century ecologists, to be deployed alone or in combination depending on the task at hand.Abstract:
Here, I argue that we should abandon the division between "field ecologists" and "modelers," and embrace modeling and empirical research as two powerful and often complementary approaches in the toolbox of 21st century ecologists, to be deployed alone or in combination depending on the task at hand. As empirical research has the longer tradition in ecology, and modeling is the more recent addition to the methodological arsenal, I provide both practical and theoretical reasons for integrating modeling more deeply into ecosystem research. Empirical research has epistemological priority over modeling; however, that is, for models to realize their full potential, and for modelers to wield this power wisely, empirical research is of fundamental importance. Combining both methodological approaches or forming "super ties" with colleagues using different methods are promising pathways to creatively exploit the methodological possibilities resulting from increasing computing power. To improve the proficiency of the growing group of model users and ensure future innovation in model development, we need to increase the modeling literacy among ecology students. However, an improved training in modeling must not curtail education in basic ecological principles and field methods, as these skills form the foundation for building and applying models in ecology.read more
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It takes a few to tango: changing climate and fire regimes can cause regeneration failure of two subalpine conifers.
TL;DR: Results suggest that, given a warmer future with larger and more frequent fires, a greater number of stands that fail to regenerate after fires combined with increasing density in stands where regeneration is successful could produce a more coarse-grained forest landscape.
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A guide to ecosystem models and their environmental applications
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TL;DR: An overview of the main types of ecosystem models and their uses is provided, and some recommended strategies to aid the explicit consideration of uncertainty while also meeting the challenges of modelling ecosystems are provided.
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Available and missing data to model impact of climate change on European forests
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TL;DR: Kattge et al. as discussed by the authors proposed a method to solve the problem of human-computer interaction in the context of artificial neural networks, using Kattge-Lehtonen algorithm.
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Ozone effects on European forest growth—Towards an integrative approach
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An End-to-End Model Reveals Losers and Winners in a Warming Mediterranean Sea
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors used an integrated modeling chain including a high-resolution regional climate model, a regional biogeochemistry model and a food web model OSMOSE to project the potential effects of climate change on biomass and catches for a wide array of species in the Mediterranean Sea.
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