The Importance of Species Differences in the Development of Mathematical Models of California Grasslands

Abstract

Mathematical models have had a short, but highly visible, history in ecology. In early attempts to build a general theory in ecology highly simplified analytical models were dominant (e.g., Lotka 1925; MacArthur and Levins 1967; May and MacArthur 1972). As the role of stochastic variation and disturbance became recognized as an important influence on ecological systems, simulation models of greater complexity but less generality became important (e.g., Holling 1965; Royama 1971; Innis 1978). However, unfulfilled promise in the aftermath of the Biome Modeling program in the US IBP has created questions about the future potential of large mathematical models in ecology (Watt 1975; Pielou 1981).