Illustrated Guide to Theoretical Ecology

• PART I: POPULATION ECOLOGY ; 1. Exponential and Geometric Population Growth ; 2. Spatial, Temporal, and Individual Variation in Birth and Death Rates ; 3. Population Growth and Age Structure ; 4. Demographic Relationships ; 5. Density Dependent Population Growth ; 6. Population Regulation, Limiting Factors, and Temporal Variability ; 7. Life History Trade-offs ; 8. Reproductive Value and the Evolutionary Theory of Ageing ; 9. Density Dependent Selection on Life History Traits ; PART II: SPECIES INTERACTIONS AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY ; 10. Predator-Prey Systems: The Dynamics of Exploited Prey ; 11. The Mechanics of Predation ; 12. Predator-Prey Systems: Predator Dynamics and Effects on Prey ; 13. Stability of Predator-Prey Systems: Analytical Methods ; 14. Competitors ; 15. Multi-species Dynamics ; 16. Space, Islands, and Metapopulations (with Mike Gilpin) ; PART III: APPENDICES ; Appendix 1: Preparation, Part 1: Visualizing Equations ; Preparation, Part 2: Terms and Methods of Model Building in Population Dynamics ; Appendix 2: Some Matrix Operations ; Appendix 3: Solving for Equilibrium Points in Dynamical Systems and Finding the Inverse of a Square Matrix ; Appendix 4: Some Useful Mathematical Identities ; Appendix 5: Some Stochastic Distributions and Their Properties

"Really an excellent text; it supplies a thorough, biology-based introduction to ecological theory. I expect it will prove very useful for my course in population ecology for natural resource management students. The authors' explicit use of multiple modes of learning is refreshing."--Mark C. Andersen, New Mexico State University"A terrific resource. It is all the basic mathematical underpinnings of ecology that I spend hours trying to explain to students at all levels--explained better than I do it--PLUS the things that I have to review myself before opening my mouth on theoretical issues. Two levels of excellent diagrams give rigourous heuristic justifications for the algebraic formalism. I'm also recommending this highly to my colleagues as a supplement for all undergraduatecoursees that even touch on theory, and as a main text for any heavily theoretical course."--Henry S. Horn, Princeton University"For many students of ecology, the more mathematical aspects of ecology theory are difficult, if not impossible, to penetrate. This book offers the best effort that I have seen to help remedy this situation. This is an attractive, large format book and, as the title suggests, is generously furnished with illustrations. The real strength is in the meticulous care with which Case covers virtually every important topic across a broad array of theoretical ecology,from single species to multispecies communities. The elements of demography are covered in great detail, but, at the same time, more advanced ideas, such as the effects of temporal and individualvariability on population growth rate and probability of extinction, are woven into the text in a way that make them just as natural and easy to grasp." -- Donald DeAngelis, BioScience, Sept 2000, Vol. 50, No. 9