1.2. Wh at Is Conservation Biology?
5
ence another level. A sudden decline in phytoplankton productivity caused
by the onset of EI Niiio fairly quickly ripples through the marine system to
affect the size of anchovy populations. The decline of anchovy, in turn, has
ramifications for the short-term profitability of the associated fishery. How
long-term profitability of the fishery is affected, however, depends on the
ability of the fishing industry to recover, which in turn is dependent on the
anchovy industry'S employment and capital structure , its national and international competitiveness, and (obviously) the speed at which the marine
system recovers . As a consequence of the many time-delayed and sometimes subtle interactions among system components, we may be at a loss
when it comes to reliably describing likely future system behavior if we
don 't have a formal model of the system's workings.
The problems of generating consensus about the behavior of dynamic
systems are particularly pronounced when decisions need to be made about
complex environmental issues, and when the stakes are high. The problems
are exacerbated when there are little data and undisputed facts on which assessments of the behavior of a dynamic system can be based. Marine conservation is a case in point. Although a lot is known about many aspects of
the marine system, in many cases sizeable gaps exist in our knowledge,
making the assimilation of what we do know all the more difficult.
There is a need to capture our knowledge, and that of others , in a consistent and transparent way so that we can identify pertinent gaps in
data and better understand the behavior of complex systems. New graphical programming languages, such as the STELLA Research language used
in this book, can empower people to assemble knowledge in a structured
and transparent way, and to then use the resulting computer model to play
out the likely implications of alternative assumptions or actions . Such
knowledge-capturing is essential to the learning process . Just as we use microscopes and telescopes to extend the reach of the eye , we can use dynamic modeling to extend the reach of our minds . In this process, the computer becomes a facilitator-it is not the "truth-generating machine" it has
often been portrayed as.
Effective computer modeling requires discipline and skill. The computer
is a means to enlarge our reach into as yet unexplored territory, and we
need to accustom ourselves to the possibilities it opens for us. This book
will help you acquire the skill to take advantage of these possibilities, and
to empower you to widen and deepen your understanding to match the expanse and depth of the oceans.
1.2. What Is Conservation Biology?
If conservation biology has any unifying tenet , or first principle, it is the
protection of biological diversity. Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is
the variety of the world 's organisms, including their genetic diversity and
5
ence another level. A sudden decline in phytoplankton productivity caused
by the onset of EI Niiio fairly quickly ripples through the marine system to
affect the size of anchovy populations. The decline of anchovy, in turn, has
ramifications for the short-term profitability of the associated fishery. How
long-term profitability of the fishery is affected, however, depends on the
ability of the fishing industry to recover, which in turn is dependent on the
anchovy industry'S employment and capital structure , its national and international competitiveness, and (obviously) the speed at which the marine
system recovers . As a consequence of the many time-delayed and sometimes subtle interactions among system components, we may be at a loss
when it comes to reliably describing likely future system behavior if we
don 't have a formal model of the system's workings.
The problems of generating consensus about the behavior of dynamic
systems are particularly pronounced when decisions need to be made about
complex environmental issues, and when the stakes are high. The problems
are exacerbated when there are little data and undisputed facts on which assessments of the behavior of a dynamic system can be based. Marine conservation is a case in point. Although a lot is known about many aspects of
the marine system, in many cases sizeable gaps exist in our knowledge,
making the assimilation of what we do know all the more difficult.
There is a need to capture our knowledge, and that of others , in a consistent and transparent way so that we can identify pertinent gaps in
data and better understand the behavior of complex systems. New graphical programming languages, such as the STELLA Research language used
in this book, can empower people to assemble knowledge in a structured
and transparent way, and to then use the resulting computer model to play
out the likely implications of alternative assumptions or actions . Such
knowledge-capturing is essential to the learning process . Just as we use microscopes and telescopes to extend the reach of the eye , we can use dynamic modeling to extend the reach of our minds . In this process, the computer becomes a facilitator-it is not the "truth-generating machine" it has
often been portrayed as.
Effective computer modeling requires discipline and skill. The computer
is a means to enlarge our reach into as yet unexplored territory, and we
need to accustom ourselves to the possibilities it opens for us. This book
will help you acquire the skill to take advantage of these possibilities, and
to empower you to widen and deepen your understanding to match the expanse and depth of the oceans.
1.2. What Is Conservation Biology?
If conservation biology has any unifying tenet , or first principle, it is the
protection of biological diversity. Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is
the variety of the world 's organisms, including their genetic diversity and