From the Chapman & Hall Microbiology Series this unique resource offers specific experimental and practical applications of mathematical modeling in microbial ecology. The text presents a variety of systems, ranging from subcellular systems to ecosystems, and shows how to test whether the models provide a good representation of the system. The book also encourages further development and application of modeling to burgeoning problems associated with microbial ecology, such as the pollution and destruction of pesticides and herbicides.

From the Chapman & Hall Microbiology Series this unique resource offers specific experimental and practical applications of mathematical modeling in microbial ecology. The text presents a variety of systems, ranging from subcellular systems to ecosystems, and shows how to test whether the models provide a good representation of the system. The book also encourages further development and application of modeling to burgeoning problems associated with microbial ecology, such as the pollution and destruction of pesticides and herbicides.

Mathematical Biology has grown at an astonishing rate and has established itself as a distinct discipline. Mathematical modeling is now being applied in every major discipline in the biological sciences. Though the field has become increasingly large and specialized, this book remains important as a text that introduces some of the exciting problems which arise in the biological sciences and gives some indication of the wide spectrum of questions that modeling can address.

Thirty years ago, biologists could get by with a rudimentary grasp of mathematics and modeling. Not so today. In seeking to answer fundamental questions about how biological systems function and change over time, the modern biologist is as likely to rely on sophisticated mathematical and computer-based models as traditional fieldwork. In this book, Sarah Otto and Troy Day provide biology students with the tools necessary to both interpret models and to build their own. The book starts at an elementary level of mathematical modeling, assuming that the reader has had high school mathematics and first-year calculus. Otto and Day then gradually build in depth and complexity, from classic models in ecology and evolution to more intricate class-structured and probabilistic models. The authors provide primers with instructive exercises to introduce readers to the more advanced subjects of linear algebra and probability theory. Through examples, they describe how models have been used to understand such topics as the spread of HIV, chaos, the age structure of a country, speciation, and extinction. Ecologists and evolutionary biologists today need enough mathematical training to be able to assess the power and limits of biological models and to develop theories and models themselves. This innovative book will be an indispensable guide to the world of mathematical models for the next generation of biologists. A how-to guide for developing new mathematical models in biology Provides step-by-step recipes for constructing and analyzing models Interesting biological applications Explores classical models in ecology and evolution Questions at the end of every chapter Primers cover important mathematical topics Exercises with answers Appendixes summarize useful rules Labs and advanced material available

Microbial ecology is one of the fastest growing fields of microbiology. This practical volume is the bench and field scientist's guide to well-established techniques for investigating microbial communities. Both for biologists just entering the field and for experienced researchers wishingto explore new areas, this book provides the theoretical background, detailed protocols, and tips from experts for working in this field. Chapters on bacteria with interesting metabolic traits are augmented with chapters on molecular techniques, lipid analysis, and appropriate sampling techniques.The final section includes up-to-date information on biofilm development and study, the science and practice of bioremediation, modeling of biological systems (including the most useful statistical parameters), and the study of phylogenetics.

This book presents new theoretical perspectives on ecological community dynamics and in so doing casts fresh light on the enduring complexity–stability debate. Real ecological communities do not simply comprise diverse species and interactions, which respectively represented the nodes and links of the classic network theory. Rather, they are characterized by different types of complexity, and this book explains how this diversity of complexity is key to understanding the dynamics of ecological communities. It is shown how various properties in natural communities, such as life history, adaptation, density dependence, sex, interaction types, space, functional traits, and microbial processes, can dramatically increase the complexity in ecological communities. Furthermore, innovative methods are introduced that may be applied to cast light on very complex communities. With each chapter presenting the latest advances and approaches, the book sets the direction for future research on ecological community dynamics. It will be a “must read” for researchers and students in the field of ecology.

The National Research Council's (NRC) Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources invited professional societies associated with agriculture and ecology to participate in a two-day workshop to explore leadership and a common vision for ecologically based pest management (EBPM). These proceedings describe the challenges of and opportunities for EBPM discussed by participants in the workshop.