Highlighting the growing relevance of quantitative techniques in
scientific research, Mathematical Methods in Biology provides an
accessible presentation of the broad range of important
mathematical methods for solving problems in the biological
sciences. The book reveals the growing connections between
mathematics and biology through clear explanations and specific,
interesting problems from areas such as population dynamics,
foraging theory, and life history theory.

The authors begin with an introduction and review of
mathematical tools that are employed in subsequent chapters,
including biological modeling, calculus, differential equations,
dimensionless variables, and descriptive statistics. The following
chapters examine standard discrete and continuous models using
matrix algebra as well as difference and differential equations.
Finally, the book outlines probability, statistics, and stochastic
methods as well as material on bootstrapping and stochastic
differential equations, which is a unique approach that is not
offered in other literature on the topic.

In order to demonstrate the application of mathematical methods
to the biological sciences, the authors provide focused examples
from the field of theoretical ecology, which serve as an accessible
context for study while also demonstrating mathematical skills that
are applicable to many other areas in the life sciences. The book's
algorithms are illustrated using MATLAB®, but can also be
replicated using other software packages, including R,
Mathematica®, and Maple; however, the text does not require
any single computer algebra package. Each chapter contains numerous
exercises and problems that range in difficulty, from the basic to
more challenging, to assist readers with building their
problem-solving skills. Selected solutions are included at the back
of the book, and a related Web site features supplemental material
for further study.

Extensively class-tested to ensure an easy-to-follow format,
Mathematical Methods in Biology is an excellent book for
mathematics and biology courses at the upper-undergraduate and
graduate levels. It also serves as a valuable reference for
researchers and professionals working in the fields of biology,
ecology, and biomathematics.