The Role of Assumptions in Predictions of Habitat Availability and Quality

摘要: Abstracting a complex reality into ecological models composed of maps, diagrams, and mathematical equations forces modelers to organize information, distinguish essential from superfluous components, define relationships among variables. Within this context, an assumption is premise, stated or unstated, which characterizes model variables as irrelevant the model’s ­setting purpose. For example, assumptions about how species interact with their environment at specific time place can be used justify thematic, spatial, temporal extent grain input data, given intended application. These also use rejection variables, parameters, functions describing relationship between focal environment. Furthermore, improve over through incremental steps testing hypotheses establish empirical knowledge. Hence, utility any habitat both empowered by limited its assumptions. Therefore it critical that project objectives theory inform assumptions, rather than allowing these decisions driven data availability knowledge gaps.