Ecosystem Models in the Real World

Models operate at a variety of levels from the purely theoretical to on-the-ground application. There are many existing tools available that provide tools to assess habitat function, evaluate effects of an action, and predict results of management actions. These tools often have a broad scope while many projects require specific needs be met to meet local requirements. Because it is important to provide clients with an approach that will meet their specific needs, many times this requires adaptation of an existing model or development of a novel approach. This symposium will present case studies from a variety of projects that have involved development of new tools or adaptation of existing tools to meet specific project requirements. Presentations will provide overviews of conceptual models, stressors and stressor weighting methodology, assumptions, decision criteria of the selected assessment approach, data collection and model calibration, results, and long-term implementation. The focus will be on application of the model to solve a real world problem or provide information that can be used to more accurately compare and contrast different actions make more informed management decisions for specific resources.