The software package Ecopath with Ecosim, available from the University of British Columbia, gives researchers and policy analysts a tool to model marine ecosystems and explore their possible evolution. The foundation of the software suite, Ecopath, was developed to present a relatively static model of species based on population assessments and estimates of diet and mortality. The addition of Ecosim and Ecospace allows users to simulate changes within single species populations or whole ecosystems. This makes it possible to examine the effects of changes in public policy, such as the restrictions in commercial fishing or the creation of protected areas.
Ecopath with Ecosim provides a standard tool for marine ecologists and encourages cooperation and research across academic disciplines through the synthesis of data used to create models. The package has also increased dialogue between scientists and policymakers. Universities in Latin America, Asia, and Africa have collaborated with the University of British Columbia to help government agencies and local researchers adopt the package, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has supported its use for species management.
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. Historian Shae Davidson's research interests include public policy and the relationship between culture and civil society. His publications range from articles on industrial history to absurdist poetry.
