@article{fdi:010091916,
  title = {{F}rom formulae, via models to theories : {D}ynamic {E}nergy {B}udget theory illustrates requirements},
  author = {{K}ooijman, {S}alm and {K}earney, {M}. {R}. and {M}arn, {N}. and {S}ousa, {T}. and {D}omingos, {T}. and {L}avaud, {R}. and {R}{\'e}capet, {C}. and {K}lanjscek, {T}. and {Y}euw, {T}. and {M}arques, {G}. {M}. and {P}ecquerie, {L}aure and {L}ika, {K}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}s sciences mature, they transition from observation and description to explanation and prediction. {T}his transition is associated with qualitative changes in the way quantitative mathematical formulations are constructed and interpreted, resulting in a 'theory'. {S}uch transitions from phenomenology to theory are happening in biology but the heuristic framework involved is rarely articulated. {W}e here describe how the use of models in research sets model requirements, using {D}ynamic {E}nergy {B}udget ({DEB}) theory to illustrate the more elaborate ones. {W}e first make the distinction between mathematical formulae and models based on their relation to the abstract and real worlds. {W}e then explain how the transition from models to theory affects model construction and parameter estimation, and discuss the concept of parameter estimation-in-context using the database {A}dd_my_{P}et on animal energetics. {T}he transition comes with the need to develop auxiliary and meta- theory and to work with multiple datasets, implying constraints for the loss function that is used for parameter estimation. {F}inally, we discuss the extra requirements for general explanatory models: they need to be explicit on relevant general principles and to be embedded in a wider scientific context. {W}e also discuss how we see theory's relationship to observation and prediction change in the future as we use it to deal with theoretical and applied problems in biology.},
  keywords = {{M}odel plasticity ; {E}mpirical cycle ; {M}eta-theory ; {A}dd_my_{P}et collection},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{E}cological {M}odelling},
  volume = {497},
  numero = {},
  pages = {110869 [13 p.]},
  ISSN = {0304-3800},
  year = {2024},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2024.110869},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010091916},
}