A comparison of probabilistic and stochastic formulations in modelling growth uncertainty and variability

Abstract

We compare two approaches for inclusion of uncertainty/variability in modelling growth in size-structured population models. One entails imposing a probabilistic structure on growth rates in the population while the other involves formulating growth as a stochastic Markov diffusion process. We present a theoretical analysis that allows one to include comparable levels of uncertainty in the two distinct formulations in making comparisons of the two approaches. © 2009 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.