Biology by Numbers : An Encouragement to Quantitative Thinking

Rating:
Summary: Back-of-the-envelope modeling
Review: This is a primer on modeling for biologists. It is written to reduce mathematics fears of budding biologists. But it offers plenty of interesting biology for the mathematically oriented non-biologist (I hold a physics degree), but absolutely no new maths. The book proceeds by examples which use similar techniques but which may differ considerably: exponential relationship examples include pollen grains in sediments as well as attractiveness of dung for dungflies. For the mathematically proficient, this can be bedside reading, as most the calculations can be done mentally.

For the more mathematically inclined, Karl Sigmunds's book Games of Life offers wonderful mathematics of biology.