Population model

A population model is a type of mathematical model that is applied to the study of population dynamics.

Rationale

Models allow a better understanding of how complex interactions and processes work. Modeling of dynamic interactions in nature can provide a manageable way of understanding how numbers change over time or in relation to each other. Many patterns can be noticed by using population modeling as a tool.^[1]

Another way populations models are useful are when species become endangered. Population models can track the fragile species and work and curb the decline. [1]

History

Late 18th-century biologists began to develop techniques in population modeling in order to understand the dynamics of growing and shrinking of all populations of living organisms.

Competitive Lotka–Volterra equations:

${\displaystyle {\frac {dN_{1}}{dt}}=r_{1}N_{1}{\frac {K_{1}-N_{1}-\alpha N_{2}}{K_{1}}}\,}$

${\displaystyle S={\frac {IP}{I+E}}}$

Species–area relationship:

${\displaystyle \log(S)=\log(c)+z\log(A)\,}$

Examples of individual-based models

See also

• Population dynamics
• Population dynamics of fisheries
• Population ecology
• Moment closure

References

External links

• GreenBoxes code sharing network. Greenboxes (Beta) is a repository for open-source population modeling code. Greenboxes allows users an easy way to share their code and to search for others shared code.