Many types and classes of models have been developed and applied to parts or all of the Salish Sea ecosystem including efforts to model impacts of climate change, assess the implications of alternative urban growth patterns and understand water circulation patterns and nutrient loading. Models in this case can refer to physical or mathematical representations of the ecosystem or components of the ecosystem including human impacts.
— Source: Puget Sound Science Review
Overview
It’s hard to overstate the importance of mathematical models to science. Models show how planets move and how diseases spread. They track the paths of hurricanes and the future of climate change. Models allow scientists to look at systems or scenarios that they could never view otherwise. Increasingly, mathematical models are also helping scientists understand Puget Sound. In this series of articles, we look at some of the ways that models are being used in ecosystem recovery efforts. We start with the basics. What are mathematical models and which types are most common?
