Issues and Challenges of Incorporating Fuzzy Sets in Ecological Modeling

An information-based framework is presented for spatially explicit GIS-based ecological modeling. Within this framework some of the important issues and challenges of incorporating fuzzy sets in spatially explicit population models (SEPM) are discussed. Examples of current work are used to illustrate the main issues and challenges facing the incorporation of fuzzy sets in ecological modeling. Among the challenges to be discussed are fuzzy-based techniques for data acquisition, model control/ evaluation, heterogeneous representations of spatial data, parameterization of models, and hypothesis testing. There is special attention given to the issue of habitat modeling and presence/absence problem. Many scientific issues facing the incorporation of ecological models will be raised such as hypothesis testing, and relationship between statistical analysis and fuzzy