Computer based environmental management

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The author equips environmental research and management professionals with essential information on computer modeling, focusing on mathematical fundamentals and optimal software selection for specific tasks. The text features numerous illustrations, flowcharts, and graphs—some in color—alongside worked examples that simplify complex mathematical concepts without overwhelming formalism. It includes case studies from diverse fields like landscape ecology, environmental assessment, population ecology, hydrology, and agroecology, demonstrating the practical application of simulation models to real-world challenges. Additionally, the book provides a comprehensive overview of available software tools for spatially explicit simulation using geographic information systems. The examples and case studies encompass a wide array of environmental systems and processes, employing modern mathematical techniques such as partial differential equations, fuzzy logic, hybrid Petri nets, and optimum control theory. This results in a distinctive presentation of advanced modeling and simulation methodologies across interdisciplinary environmental research. Robert Costanza from the Gund Institute of Ecological Economics praises the work, noting its suitability as a core text for environmental modeling courses.