With the use of ecological models, managers and decision makers can make sure
that the ecological systems affected by their decisions are accurately
represented. Unfortunately, the most relevant ecological science and modeling
techniques are often not used because managers are not familiar with them or
find them inappropriate for their circumstances. The authors of this volume hope
to close the gap between the state of the art in ecological modeling and the
state of the practice in the use of models as decision-making tools. It will
serve as a readable introduction to modeling for people involved in resource
management and will also review specific applications of interest