Collections

The NetLogo Center at Northwestern University held the first NetLogo user conference in Chicago, June 29 - July 1, 2026. NetLogo is the most popular software platform for individual- and agent-based models, so the conference was attended by scientists and educators from many different places and fields. The conference included keynote speakers, 45 oral presentations, a poster session, and 18 workshops on topics ranging from introductory to advanced in modeling, NetLogo programming, and science education. The 2026 NetLogo Conference was supported by the National Science Foundation grant number NSF-POSE-2303582 and the Yidan Foundation.

This topical collection includes papers based on ecology-oriented presentations from the conference. The papers address general methodological issues and specific ecological systems and problems. The collection is intended to further develop links between the NetLogo community and the readership of Individual-based Ecology.

The NetLogo Center at Northwestern University held the first NetLogo user conference in Chicago, June 29 - July 1, 2026. NetLogo is the most popular software platform for individual- and agent-based models, so the conference was attended by scientists and educators from many different places and fie ...

Individual-based modelling (IBM) in ecology has a history spanning almost 50 years. With this article collection we aim to learn from this past development and the current state of the art to address upcoming challenges such as rapid environmental and societal change amid advances in data science and AI. Therefore, we invite both experienced pioneers and early-career researchers to reflect on past developments, current achievements, and future directions for IBM.

Invited Contributions

Reviews, perspectives, or opinions on methodological advances, current challenges, and future developments; Case studies illustrating the need for IBMs in theory or application; Reflections on linking ecological IBMs to other domains such as social-ecological or ecological-economic systems.

Example Topics

Biodiversity in a changing world; emerging behaviour and dynamics; validation; predictions; theory development; usefulness for applications; the use of statistics or AI; links to other model types; software tools; upscaling; digital twins; reasons for IBMs

Individual-based modelling (IBM) in ecology has a history spanning almost 50 years. With this article collection we aim to learn from this past development and the current state of the art to address upcoming challenges such as rapid environmental and societal change amid advances in data science an ...