Chapter 4 - Steady State Models

Abstract

Abstract Steady state models represent a group of ecological models that characterize ecosystem structure and properties at equilibrium. Ecopath is a typical steady state model for trophic mass–balance analysis in ecosystems. The first section of this chapter provides a brief review on the development and applications of Ecopath. We categorize the Ecopath approaches into three major groups representing distinct objectives. The second section of this chapter illustrates a case study of Ecopath model in a large shallow Chinese lake during the 1950s, 1980s, and 2000s. Over time, we observed a collapse of the food web toward a simplified structure, and a decrease of biodiversity and trophic interactions. The lake ecosystem was approaching an immature but stable status. Overall, we strongly advocate the consideration of using Ecopath as a new management tool for other lakes, thereby bridging the strategies from both environmental and ecological perspectives.