Explore computational methods for simulating and analyzing ecological systems in this comprehensive lecture from the Serrapilheira/ICTP-SAIFR Training Program in Quantitative Ecology. Delve into essential Python programming concepts, including conditional statements, loops, variables, and data types. Learn about indentation, spacing, and common coding errors. Discover how to work with NumPy for efficient numerical computations and manipulate strings and vectors. Gain insights into Boolean logic, None values, and integer ranges. Master the implementation of various loop structures, including wire loops and range-based iterations, to enhance your ecological modeling skills.