Mechanistic Models

Abstract

“What makes models so fashionable?” is the first sentence of an excellent essay by Gabriel (1993) on the use of models in studying DVM. As is usual with fashionable things, it is difficult to give a single answer. The incorporation of mathematics in one’s research has the scent of sophistication and it is a “must” in grant proposals to announce that a model will be made of the results yet to obtain. And DVM is an attractive topic because the phenomenon seems to be simple. Most modellers divide the water column into two parts that supposedly represent clearly distinct habitats, the epilimnion and the hypolimnion