More on how and why: cause and effect in biology revisited
... standing as one of the world’s leading evolutionary biologists and architect of the modern Synthetic theory of evolution, Mayr’s article had a massive influence in shaping how most biologists understand causality. In this article, Mayr distinguished ‘proximate’ from ‘ultimate’ causes. Proximate caus ...
... standing as one of the world’s leading evolutionary biologists and architect of the modern Synthetic theory of evolution, Mayr’s article had a massive influence in shaping how most biologists understand causality. In this article, Mayr distinguished ‘proximate’ from ‘ultimate’ causes. Proximate caus ...
The population ecology of contemporary adaptations
... documenting the environmental factor responsible for evolutionary changes and the time interval over which the change took place (Table 1). Collectively, the studies span a wide range of taxa, characters, ecological conditions, and modes of selection. We first describe the results from these four pe ...
... documenting the environmental factor responsible for evolutionary changes and the time interval over which the change took place (Table 1). Collectively, the studies span a wide range of taxa, characters, ecological conditions, and modes of selection. We first describe the results from these four pe ...
Ecosystem fragmentation drives increased diet variation in an
... relationship among populations; results are qualitatively similar if excluding this interaction). For males, there was no association between body size and growth rate (P = 0.89), and thus, site means were used in analysis. Gut contents and stable isotopes Resource use was quantified as proportions ...
... relationship among populations; results are qualitatively similar if excluding this interaction). For males, there was no association between body size and growth rate (P = 0.89), and thus, site means were used in analysis. Gut contents and stable isotopes Resource use was quantified as proportions ...
American Journal of Botan
... engaged (Dyer et al., 2010). Some species may disproportionately facilitate biodiversity through their interactions with other species. In most ecosystems, species interactions form a vast network whose nodes and links are variable in space and time (Ings et al., 2009). For example, Petanidou et al. ...
... engaged (Dyer et al., 2010). Some species may disproportionately facilitate biodiversity through their interactions with other species. In most ecosystems, species interactions form a vast network whose nodes and links are variable in space and time (Ings et al., 2009). For example, Petanidou et al. ...
Towards a mechanistic understanding of fish species niche
... target species are not necessarily causally linked. For example, elevation may be an informative predictor of a species’ distribution, but it is only indirectly linked to population dynamics through a correlation with temperature that directly affects individual performance. Inconsistent correlation ...
... target species are not necessarily causally linked. For example, elevation may be an informative predictor of a species’ distribution, but it is only indirectly linked to population dynamics through a correlation with temperature that directly affects individual performance. Inconsistent correlation ...
... to composition. Similarly, to attribute effects to composition, it is necessary to control for differences in diversity. I use this approach to distinguish between effects caused by diversity vs. composition. This requires that experiments, observational studies, and theory be designed as previously ...
Extinctions in Ecological Communities – Alva Curtsdotter
... In Paper IV, primary extinctions of primary producers result in extinction cascades of consumer species, when they lose their prey. However, in reality a consumer species might be able to switch to another prey, and such flexibility has both been observed and suggested as a potential rescue mechanis ...
... In Paper IV, primary extinctions of primary producers result in extinction cascades of consumer species, when they lose their prey. However, in reality a consumer species might be able to switch to another prey, and such flexibility has both been observed and suggested as a potential rescue mechanis ...
Parasites as predators - University of South Florida
... Figure 2. Flow diagrams for different types of community-level interactions. (a) Comparison of resource use in predator–prey, parasite–host and competitive interactions. Arrows indicate positive (blue), negative (red) or neutral (0) effects. As with a predator, a parasite benefits from its host and ...
... Figure 2. Flow diagrams for different types of community-level interactions. (a) Comparison of resource use in predator–prey, parasite–host and competitive interactions. Arrows indicate positive (blue), negative (red) or neutral (0) effects. As with a predator, a parasite benefits from its host and ...
what do we mean by biodiversity?
... highlight the broad character of the concept: they cover at once all of life units and processes (table 1). Nevertheless, these definitions cannot be used in scientific practice, because by attempting to be comprehensive they end describing vague relationships (variability, variety or interrelatedne ...
... highlight the broad character of the concept: they cover at once all of life units and processes (table 1). Nevertheless, these definitions cannot be used in scientific practice, because by attempting to be comprehensive they end describing vague relationships (variability, variety or interrelatedne ...
Political Ecology - Páginas Personales UNAM
... Following Karl Polanyi (1944), Andre Gorz underlined the market’s tendency to appropriate domains of social and human life that respond to ontological orders and meanings other than economic logic. For Gorz, and counter to orthodox Marxist doctrine, the question of alienation and separation of the w ...
... Following Karl Polanyi (1944), Andre Gorz underlined the market’s tendency to appropriate domains of social and human life that respond to ontological orders and meanings other than economic logic. For Gorz, and counter to orthodox Marxist doctrine, the question of alienation and separation of the w ...
Environmental variability and population dynamics: do European
... variable environments (in North America). We also addressed whether relative population dynamical responses to environmental variability versus density corresponded to differences in life history strategies between dabbling (relatively “fast species” and governed by environmental variability) and di ...
... variable environments (in North America). We also addressed whether relative population dynamical responses to environmental variability versus density corresponded to differences in life history strategies between dabbling (relatively “fast species” and governed by environmental variability) and di ...
ecological community - Department of the Environment
... The EPBC Act is Australia’s national environment law and threatened ecological communities, listed under the Act, are one of several ‘matters of national environmental significance’. Therefore when considering the nomination of national ecological communities it is important to consider that the foc ...
... The EPBC Act is Australia’s national environment law and threatened ecological communities, listed under the Act, are one of several ‘matters of national environmental significance’. Therefore when considering the nomination of national ecological communities it is important to consider that the foc ...
The role of biotic interactions in shaping distributions and realised
... and history across scales. Biotic interactions and their dynamics influence species’ relationships to climate, and this also has important implications for predicting future distributions of species. It is already well accepted that biotic interactions shape species’ spatial distributions at local s ...
... and history across scales. Biotic interactions and their dynamics influence species’ relationships to climate, and this also has important implications for predicting future distributions of species. It is already well accepted that biotic interactions shape species’ spatial distributions at local s ...
Ecology and Evolution Affect Network Structure
... of mutualistic networks. Here, in addition to comparing levels of specialization among disparate marine and terrestrial systems, we elucidate for the first time ecological and evolutionary constraints that jointly affect specialization patterns in a marine mutualism. With more than 120 species of go ...
... of mutualistic networks. Here, in addition to comparing levels of specialization among disparate marine and terrestrial systems, we elucidate for the first time ecological and evolutionary constraints that jointly affect specialization patterns in a marine mutualism. With more than 120 species of go ...
The role of biotic interactions in shaping distributions and realised
... and history across scales. Biotic interactions and their dynamics influence species’ relationships to climate, and this also has important implications for predicting future distributions of species. It is already well accepted that biotic interactions shape species’ spatial distributions at local s ...
... and history across scales. Biotic interactions and their dynamics influence species’ relationships to climate, and this also has important implications for predicting future distributions of species. It is already well accepted that biotic interactions shape species’ spatial distributions at local s ...
Ecosystems and Environment
... Ecological succession describes how the species composition of an ecosystem changes after a disturbance. Ecological succession is sometimes divided into two types, primary succession and secondary succession. ...
... Ecological succession describes how the species composition of an ecosystem changes after a disturbance. Ecological succession is sometimes divided into two types, primary succession and secondary succession. ...
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning Further
... Biodiversity is now known to be a major determinant, perhaps the major determinant, of community and ecosystem dynamics and functioning. This discovery, which required two decades of research by hundreds of ecologists from around the world, represents a major reversal from the paradigm of the 1970s ...
... Biodiversity is now known to be a major determinant, perhaps the major determinant, of community and ecosystem dynamics and functioning. This discovery, which required two decades of research by hundreds of ecologists from around the world, represents a major reversal from the paradigm of the 1970s ...
Engage - NC Science Wiki
... The earth is home to many different life forms, including plants, animals, humans, and other organisms. There is a high degree of interdependence among populations of organisms and the non-living components of their environments. These interactions may support a stable population, but often result i ...
... The earth is home to many different life forms, including plants, animals, humans, and other organisms. There is a high degree of interdependence among populations of organisms and the non-living components of their environments. These interactions may support a stable population, but often result i ...
The interacting effects of temperature and food chain length on
... had zero counts of Didinium and Colpidium (despite previously having positive counts). Further inspection of these microcosms indicated that active Colpidium and Didinium were present, but at densities too low to be detected by the assay method. Aliquots of sufficient size to sample protists at very ...
... had zero counts of Didinium and Colpidium (despite previously having positive counts). Further inspection of these microcosms indicated that active Colpidium and Didinium were present, but at densities too low to be detected by the assay method. Aliquots of sufficient size to sample protists at very ...
The fitness costs of adaptation via phenotypic plasticity and maternal
... successive flips from e = d/2 to e = d/2 in stochastic environments, we generated random numbers from the exponential distribution with mean l set at l = 50 and l = 5 to represent slow- and fast-flipping environments, respectively. The environment can therefore change before development and selection ...
... successive flips from e = d/2 to e = d/2 in stochastic environments, we generated random numbers from the exponential distribution with mean l set at l = 50 and l = 5 to represent slow- and fast-flipping environments, respectively. The environment can therefore change before development and selection ...
Insect population dynamics meets ecosystem ecology: effects of
... wound-induced increases in foliar phenolics (Findlay et al., 1996), root mortality (Ruess et al., 1998) and community-wide changes in the relative abundance of plant species or genotypes that vary in their litter quality (Pastor et al., 1993; Kielland et al., 1997; Uriarte, 2000). Fifth, herbivore-m ...
... wound-induced increases in foliar phenolics (Findlay et al., 1996), root mortality (Ruess et al., 1998) and community-wide changes in the relative abundance of plant species or genotypes that vary in their litter quality (Pastor et al., 1993; Kielland et al., 1997; Uriarte, 2000). Fifth, herbivore-m ...
DRAFT URBAN ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY The
... The municipality is home to a world-renowned network of parks, gardens and streetscapes. These green layers contribute to its status as one of the world’s most liveable cities. Whilst much is heard about Melbourne’s liveability, its rich biological diversity is less often celebrated. Biological dive ...
... The municipality is home to a world-renowned network of parks, gardens and streetscapes. These green layers contribute to its status as one of the world’s most liveable cities. Whilst much is heard about Melbourne’s liveability, its rich biological diversity is less often celebrated. Biological dive ...
FACILITATIVE INTERACTIONS AMONG PLANTS VIA SHARED
... Understanding the mechanisms of coexistence of ecologically similar species has been a challenging problem for ecologists (Hutchinson 1961). The underlying assumption for most models of coexistence is that competition for limiting resources is the dominant force regulating diversity (Tilman and Paca ...
... Understanding the mechanisms of coexistence of ecologically similar species has been a challenging problem for ecologists (Hutchinson 1961). The underlying assumption for most models of coexistence is that competition for limiting resources is the dominant force regulating diversity (Tilman and Paca ...
Ecology
Ecology (from Greek: οἶκος, ""house""; -λογία, ""study of"") is the scientific analysis and study of interactions among organisms and their environment. It is an interdisciplinary field that includes biology and Earth science. Ecology includes the study of interactions organisms have with each other, other organisms, and with abiotic components of their environment. Topics of interest to ecologists include the diversity, distribution, amount (biomass), and number (population) of particular organisms; as well as cooperation and competition between organisms, both within and among ecosystems. Ecosystems are composed of dynamically interacting parts including organisms, the communities they make up, and the non-living components of their environment. Ecosystem processes, such as primary production, pedogenesis, nutrient cycling, and various niche construction activities, regulate the flux of energy and matter through an environment. These processes are sustained by organisms with specific life history traits, and the variety of organisms is called biodiversity. Biodiversity, which refers to the varieties of species, genes, and ecosystems, enhances certain ecosystem services.Ecology is not synonymous with environment, environmentalism, natural history, or environmental science. It is closely related to evolutionary biology, genetics, and ethology. An important focus for ecologists is to improve the understanding of how biodiversity affects ecological function. Ecologists seek to explain: Life processes, interactions and adaptations The movement of materials and energy through living communities The successional development of ecosystems The abundance and distribution of organisms and biodiversity in the context of the environment.Ecology is a human science as well. There are many practical applications of ecology in conservation biology, wetland management, natural resource management (agroecology, agriculture, forestry, agroforestry, fisheries), city planning (urban ecology), community health, economics, basic and applied science, and human social interaction (human ecology). For example, the Circles of Sustainability approach treats ecology as more than the environment 'out there'. It is not treated as separate from humans. Organisms (including humans) and resources compose ecosystems which, in turn, maintain biophysical feedback mechanisms that moderate processes acting on living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of the planet. Ecosystems sustain life-supporting functions and produce natural capital like biomass production (food, fuel, fiber and medicine), the regulation of climate, global biogeochemical cycles, water filtration, soil formation, erosion control, flood protection and many other natural features of scientific, historical, economic, or intrinsic value.The word ""ecology"" (""Ökologie"") was coined in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919). Ecological thought is derivative of established currents in philosophy, particularly from ethics and politics. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Hippocrates and Aristotle laid the foundations of ecology in their studies on natural history. Modern ecology became a much more rigorous science in the late 19th century. Evolutionary concepts relating to adaptation and natural selection became the cornerstones of modern ecological theory.