Book Review: Environmental Modelling An Introduction

Abstract

The focus on modelling in practice encourages the reader to think like a researcher, and consider how modelling can be used to probe questions of interest
• Clear, articulate writing style gives clarity to an often daunting subject
• Case studies demonstrate the use of modelling in practice, to give the reader a real insight into the application of modelling in real situations
• Numerous end of chapter problems and web-based tasks encourage the student to engage with the subject more deeply, to build a better understanding of the concepts presented
Online Resource Centre features additional resources for lecturers and students, enhancing the value of the text as a teaching and learning tool
The global environment is a complex mix of interlinked processes, about which observation can tell us a great deal. But how can we use current observation to model future events, or to predict the consequences of scenarios that don't yet exist? Environmental Modelling: An Introduction shows how modelling can be used to explain experimental observations, and how these observations - and the data gathered - can be extrapolated to help us understand new environments and processes, and to solve environmental problems.
The book begins by explaining why modelling is such a powerful experimental tool, before walking the reader through the process of constructing a model - what the key considerations are, and how different models should be used to probe different types of problem. It then illustrates how models are actively applied, before introducing a series of case studies to show how modelling has been used in real environmental and ecological studies. Accompanied by an extensive Online Resource Centre to support active, hands-on learning on the part of the student, Environmental Modelling: An Introduction is the ideal resource for any student who needs to develop a working understanding of modelling, and how to apply modelling in their own research