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Title:	Ecological model development : evaluation of system quality
Authors:	Richards, Nathan S. Swannack, Todd M. McKay, S. Kyle
Keywords:	Restoration ecology Environmental management Environmental protection Ecology--Mathematical models Habitat (Ecology)--Mathematical models
Publisher:	Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Series/Report no.:	Technical Note (Ecosystem Management and Restoration Research Program (U.S.)) ; no. ERDC/TN EMRRP-EBA-26
Abstract:	Ecological models are used throughout the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to inform decisions related to ecosystem restoration, water operations, environmental impact assessment, environmental mitigation, and other topics. Ecological models are typically developed in phases of conceptualization, quantification, evaluation, application, and communication. Evaluation is a process for assessing the technical quality, reliability, and ecological basis of a model and includes techniques such as calibration, verification, validation, and review. In this technical note (TN), we describe an approach for evaluating system quality, which generally includes the computational integrity, numerical accuracy, and programming of a model or modeling system. Methods are presented for avoiding computational errors during development, detecting errors through model testing, and updating models based on review and use. A formal structure is proposed for model test plans and subsequently demonstrated for a hypothetical habitat suitability model. Overall, this TN provides ecological modeling practitioners with a rapid guide for evaluating system quality.
Description:	Technical Note
Gov't Doc #:	ERDC/TN EMRRP-EBA-26
Rights:	Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited
URI:	https://hdl.handle.net/11681/45380 http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/45380
Appears in Collections:	Technical Note