Talk Title and Abstract
Title: Mathematics for protecting biodiversity in messy human-ecological systems
Abstract: Ecosystems are dynamic and complex, and we often have limited or patchy data about them. At the same time, humans complicate efforts to protect biodiversity, posing significant threats to natural systems while acting as both beneficiaries and protectors of nature. As a result, managing biodiversity is a complicated, uncertain decision science problem. But biodiversity conservation cannot wait until we have resolved all uncertainties – critically threatened ecosystems need urgent management. Ever-evolving new decision-science frameworks rooted in operations research and ecological modelling allow us to take uncertainty, people, and dynamics into account when planning ecosystem management. Here I’ll demonstrate these new frameworks with a focus on Great Barrier Reef, Antarctica, and natural disasters case studies.