The Transferability of Ecological Model

The use of models by ecologist and environmental managers has grown exponentially in the past 50 years. Due to logistical, economical and theoretical benefits, model users are frequently transferring preexisting models (and ecological estimates) to new sites where data is scarce. Although, modelers have made significant progress in understanding how to improve model transferability and generalizability during model development, model users need better ways to evaluate the risks of misuse when transferring models. Our group has been working on a framework, we call a model application niche analysis. Using this framework ecologists synthesize information from databases and past studies to create model performance curves and heat maps. These visualization tools characterize a model’s application niche as a function of model performance and uncertainty across dimensions of context.

This project is associated with the EcoService Models Library (ESML), a database of ecological models that quantify ecosystem services. The ESML was designed, in part, to provide information about each model's transferability.

Related Products

1. Moon, J.B., T. DeWitt, M. Errend, R. Bruins, M. Kentula & K.J. Naithani. 2017. Model application niche analysis: assessing the transferability and generalizability of ecological models. Ecosphere 8(10):e01974. 10.1002/ecs2.1974
2. Errend, M. 2015. Applying economic benefit transfer to improve the transfer of ecological estimates in ecosystem services research & policy. M.S. Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.

Related Presentations

1. 2017 DeWitt, T.H., L. Green, Moon J. B., M.N. Errend, & R.J.F. Bruins (November 11^th) "Should I use that model? Assessing the transferability of ecological models to new settings" 24^th Biennial Conference of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, Providence, RI, USA .
2. ^†2017 Moon J. B., T.H. DeWitt, M.N. Errend, R.J.F. Bruins, M.E. Kentula, S.J. Chamberlain, M.S. Fennessy, and K. Naithani (August 11^th) "Model application niche analysis: An approach for assessing the transferability and generalizability of ecological models." The Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Portland, OR, USA.
3. 2016 Bruins, R.J.F. T.H. DeWitt, M. Sheng, M. Errend, J.B. Moon, G. Lomnicky & J. Wilson. (May 8 – 12^th, 2016) "EcoService Models Library, an online database of ecological production functions." The International Society for Ecological Modelling Global Conference 2016. Towson University, MD, USA.
4. 2015 Errend, M., T.H. DeWitt & J.B. Moon (May 12^th) “Applying benefit transfer to improve the transfer of ecological estimates in ecosystem services research and policy” 8^th Biennial Forum of the Conference of the North American Association of Fisheries Economists, Ketchikan, AK.
5. 2014 DeWitt, T.H., J.B. Moon, M. Errend, M. Gray & R.J.F. Bruins. (December 11^th) "Assessing the transferability of ecosystem service production estimates and functions" 4^th A Community of Ecosystem Services Conference, Washington, D.C., USA.
6. 2014 Bruins, R.J.F., T.H. DeWitt, M. Sheng, M. Errend, J.B. Moon, G. Lomnicky, J. Wilson & M. Gray. (December 11^th) "Introducing the EcoService Models Library" 4^th A Community of Ecosystem Services Conference, Washington, D.C., USA.
7. 2014 Errend, M., T.H. DeWitt & J.B. Moon (July 7^th) “Applying principles from economics to improve the transfer of ecological production estimates in fisheries ecosystem services research.” 17^th Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade, Brisbane, Australia.
8. ^†2013 Errend, M., T.H. DeWitt & J.B. Moon (October 26^th) “Point estimate transfers in ecosystem services research: Applying principles from economics to improve the transfer of ecological production estimates.” 4^th Annual Heceta Head Coastal Conference, Florence, OR.
9. 2013 Moon, J.B., T.H. DeWitt, R.J.F. Bruins, M. Sheng & L.A. Brown (November 5^th) “A conceptual framework for evaluation the transferability of mathematical ecological models.” 22^nd Biennial Conference of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, San Diego, CA, USA .
10. ^†2013 Moon, J.B., T.H. DeWitt, R.J.F. Bruins, M. Sheng & L.A. Brown (October 30^th & 31^st) A conceptual framework for evaluating the domains of applicability of ecological models and its implementation in the ecological production function library. 19th Biennial International Society for Ecological Modelling Conference, Toulouse, France.