Advantages and challenges of Bayesian networks in environmental modelling

Bayesian networks (BNs) are an increasingly popular method of modelling uncertain and complex domains such as ecosystems and environmental management. At best, they provide a robust and mathematically coherent framework for the analysis of this kind of problems. However, there are certain pitfalls as well. In this paper, I summarise the pros and cons of the use of Bayesian networks especially in the context of environmental modelling and management. I will also give references to relevant publications, and introduce some software products that can be used to build Bayesian networks. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.