Ecological Modeling And Analysis Seminar Description

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Overview

Students develop scientific workflows in Kepler with a focus on basic ecological modeling (theory and practice), by using the built-in numerical libraries of Kepler and the capabilities for calling "R" from Kepler. The practical result for SEEK would be a library of tested, well-documented Kepler workflows of ecological models that could be accessed from the EcoGRID, and possibly a "core" curriculum on using Kepler as a free platform for ecological modeling and data analysis. Students would also provide feedback as to the strengths and limitations of developing such models in Kepler, while learning about how to structure and model basic ecological pheonomena, and getting a strong introduction to the "R" programming environment. Unlike choices A and B below, this one is far more instruction and far less research-- more applicable to entering graduate students and advanced undergraduates. Several possible companion texts would be recent books by Case, Gotelli, Roughgarden, Rose, Hastings, etc.-- which would provide algorithms and interpretations of these models. Topics could include population models, predation, competition, host-parasite, Hardy-Weinberg, statistical distributions, Monte Carlo methods, chaos theory, etc.

Rough syllabus ideas

Background materials

• Ludaescher's class on Scientific Data Management

Participating universities

• University of New Mexico
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Davis
• University of Kansas
• ...