Schmitz works on computer modeling through the Center for Computational Ecology, one of the YIBS-sponsored centers that fosters interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. We have a computer program into which we can enter some biological facts about each of the species, creating in essence an artificial world in the computer, which emulates what the real world is like. We can build biologically realistic details into the simulator. Once the field system is reconstructed on the computer, the researchers can introduce disruptions and can learn what the outcome of those disruptions is likely to be. According to Schmitz, this level of computational work in ecology has only become possible within the last few years because of advances in computer hardware.
Animals have individual behaviors, they make choices.
But many researchers have disregarded these behaviors when they're modeling large populations, because it was generally believed that the individual behaviors didn't have an effect on the large population. Schmitz's group has found, however, that these individual behaviors do have an effect, and that scientists' ability to predict the effect of a disturbance improves considerably when they take into account the individual behaviors. His group is interested in the entire continuum of ecological research, from field studies through computer modeling to the application of this work in forest management. It's exciting to see our models being tested. In the area of molecular evolution, Margaret A. Riley, an associate professor in the EEB department, is working on microbial warfare.