Biology by Numbers: An Encouragement to Quantitative Thinking

Abstract

Biology and the life sciences in general are becomingly increasingly focused on measurement and quantification: how many; how long; what proportion; what effect? Managers are also placing increasing pressure on scientists to produce bottom line figures that quantify nature in order to make effective management decisions. However, many biology students and graduates are not from a mathematical or quantitative background, and find it difficult making the transition to the quantitative thinking necessary to provide such information.