Ecological Modeling is a key technology in modern ecological environment research. It can integrate information, technology and analysis methods from different disciplines and categories to explain and understand the mechanism of action and internal correlation of complex ecosystem. It is important to simulate and analyze the long-term dynamics and stability of complex ecosystem. 

This course is a master's degree specialized course offered by The College of Environment and Environment of Beijing Normal University. It is also one of the English courses offered by the College for international students in response to the internationalization process of the university, which is widely welcomed by students. 

This course attaches great importance to the cultivation of ability and the landing of skills. It is lively, inspiring and can mobilize students to actively participate in the learning of the course. In addition, the lecturer has been engaged in relevant researches for a long time and has rich teaching achievements and experience, which can make the course content closely fit the ability needs of academic research and help solve practical problems. 

This course is set to promote students to learn the ecological simulation of basic theory and main methods of establishing ecological model, build the special angle of view to understand environmental system evolution law, and train of the scientific thought to solve the problem of related studies, as well as establish a system analysis logistic of knowledge concept.

At the same time, this course offers introduction from two aspects of theory and practice of ecological modeling theme of universal coverage, based on the theory to explain. With the help of the system dynamics STELLA software platform, this course uses methods such as case analysis, scenario simulation and field practice to encourage the students to actively participate in classes, be familiar with dynamic system modeling and its application in the ecological and economic system. 

 Participants will develop knowledge and skill in: (1) constructing models for their own research, and (2) critical reading of models in the literature. (3) mastering the basic operation skill of modeling software Stella.

[1] Alexey Voinov. Systems Science and Modeling for Ecological Economics. Academic Press is an imprint of Elsevier, 2008.

[2] Lixiao Zhang (the translator). Systems analysis and simulation in ecological economics (written by Voinov, Alexey). Higher Education Press, 2014.