Unsolved Problems in Ecology

Unsolved Problems in Ecology PDF Author: Andrew Dobson
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691199833
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 412

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Book Description
"This volume provides a series of essays on open questions in ecology with the overarching goal being to outline to the most important, most interesting or most fundamental problems in ecology that need to be addressed. The contributions span ecological subfields, from behavioral ecology and population ecology to disease ecology and conservation and range in tone from the technical to more personal meditations on the state of the field. Many of the chapters start or end in moments of genuine curiosity, like one which takes up the question of why the world is green or another which asks what might come of a thought experiment in which we "turn-off" evolution entirely"--

Unsolved Problems in Ecology

Unsolved Problems in Ecology PDF Author: Andrew Dobson
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691199833
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 412

Get Book

Book Description
"This volume provides a series of essays on open questions in ecology with the overarching goal being to outline to the most important, most interesting or most fundamental problems in ecology that need to be addressed. The contributions span ecological subfields, from behavioral ecology and population ecology to disease ecology and conservation and range in tone from the technical to more personal meditations on the state of the field. Many of the chapters start or end in moments of genuine curiosity, like one which takes up the question of why the world is green or another which asks what might come of a thought experiment in which we "turn-off" evolution entirely"--

Research Techniques in Animal Ecology

Research Techniques in Animal Ecology PDF Author: Luigi Boitani
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231113412
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 477

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Book Description
This book provides an analysis of frequently used research techniques in animal ecology, identifying their limitations and misuses, as well as possible solutions to avoid such pitfalls. The contributors provide an overarching account of central theoretical and methodological controversies. The editors have forged comprehensive presentations of key topics in animal ecology, such as territory and home range estimates, habitation evaluation, population viability analysis, GIS mapping, and measuring the dynamics of societies.

A Solution to the Ecological Inference Problem

A Solution to the Ecological Inference Problem PDF Author: Gary King
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400849209
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 366

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Book Description
This book provides a solution to the ecological inference problem, which has plagued users of statistical methods for over seventy-five years: How can researchers reliably infer individual-level behavior from aggregate (ecological) data? In political science, this question arises when individual-level surveys are unavailable (for instance, local or comparative electoral politics), unreliable (racial politics), insufficient (political geography), or infeasible (political history). This ecological inference problem also confronts researchers in numerous areas of major significance in public policy, and other academic disciplines, ranging from epidemiology and marketing to sociology and quantitative history. Although many have attempted to make such cross-level inferences, scholars agree that all existing methods yield very inaccurate conclusions about the world. In this volume, Gary King lays out a unique--and reliable--solution to this venerable problem. King begins with a qualitative overview, readable even by those without a statistical background. He then unifies the apparently diverse findings in the methodological literature, so that only one aggregation problem remains to be solved. He then presents his solution, as well as empirical evaluations of the solution that include over 16,000 comparisons of his estimates from real aggregate data to the known individual-level answer. The method works in practice. King's solution to the ecological inference problem will enable empirical researchers to investigate substantive questions that have heretofore proved unanswerable, and move forward fields of inquiry in which progress has been stifled by this problem.

Community Ecology

Community Ecology PDF Author: Gary G. Mittelbach
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192572865
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 448

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Book Description
Community ecology has undergone a transformation in recent years, from a discipline largely focused on processes occurring within a local area to a discipline encompassing a much richer domain of study, including the linkages between communities separated in space (metacommunity dynamics), niche and neutral theory, the interplay between ecology and evolution (eco-evolutionary dynamics), and the influence of historical and regional processes in shaping patterns of biodiversity. To fully understand these new developments, however, students continue to need a strong foundation in the study of species interactions and how these interactions are assembled into food webs and other ecological networks. This new edition fulfils the book's original aims, both as a much-needed up-to-date and accessible introduction to modern community ecology, and in identifying the important questions that are yet to be answered. This research-driven textbook introduces state-of-the-art community ecology to a new generation of students, adopting reasoned and balanced perspectives on as-yet-unresolved issues. Community Ecology is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers seeking a broad, up-to-date coverage of ecological concepts at the community level.

Understanding Nature

Understanding Nature PDF Author: Louise M. Weber
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000859940
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 377

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Book Description
Understanding Nature is a new kind of ecology textbook: a straightforward resource that teaches natural history and ecological content, and a way to instruct students that will nurture both Earth and self. While meeting the textbook guidelines set forth by the Ecological Society of America, Understanding Nature has a unique ecotherapy theme, using a historical framework to teach ecological theory to undergraduates. This textbook presents all the core information without being unnecessarily wordy or lengthy, using simple, relatable language and discussing ecology in ways that any student can apply in real life. Uniquely, it is also a manual on how to improve one’s relationship with the Earth. This is accomplished through coverage of natural history, ecology, and applications, together with suggested field activities that start each chapter and thinking questions that end each chapter. The book includes traditional ecological knowledge as well as the history of scientific ecological knowledge. Understanding Nature teaches theory and applications that will heal the Earth. It also teaches long-term sustainability practices for one’s psyche. Professor Louise Weber is both an ecologist and a certified ecopsychologist, challenging ecology instructors to rethink what and how they teach about nature. Her book bridges the gap between students taking ecology to become ecologists and those taking ecology as a requirement, who will use the knowledge to become informed citizens.

Comparative Plant Ecology

Comparative Plant Ecology PDF Author: J.P. Grime
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9401710945
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 751

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Book Description


Environmental Problems

Environmental Problems PDF Author: R. J. Johnston
Publisher: *Belhaven Press
ISBN: 9780471946977
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
This engaging essay on environmental understanding surveys the nature and range of scientific knowledge concerning environmental problems. Asks why so many environmental issues still remained unsolved given the precision and sophistication of research on the subject.

Observation and Ecology

Observation and Ecology PDF Author: Rafe Sagarin
Publisher: Island Press
ISBN: 1610912306
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 230

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Book Description
The need to understand and address large-scale environmental problems that are difficult to study in controlled environments—issues ranging from climate change to overfishing to invasive species—is driving the field of ecology in new and important directions. Observation and Ecology documents that transformation, exploring how scientists and researchers are expanding their methodological toolbox to incorporate an array of new and reexamined observational approaches—from traditional ecological knowledge to animal-borne sensors to genomic and remote-sensing technologies—to track, study, and understand current environmental problems and their implications. The authors paint a clear picture of what observational approaches to ecology are and where they fit in the context of ecological science. They consider the full range of observational abilities we have available to us and explore the challenges and practical difficulties of using a primarily observational approach to achieve scientific understanding. They also show how observations can be a bridge from ecological science to education, environmental policy, and resource management. Observations in ecology can play a key role in understanding our changing planet and the consequences of human activities on ecological processes. This book will serve as an important resource for future scientists and conservation leaders who are seeking a more holistic and applicable approach to ecological science.

Matrices and Graphs Stability Problems in Mathematical Ecology

Matrices and Graphs Stability Problems in Mathematical Ecology PDF Author: D. Logofet
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1351091220
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
Intuitive ideas of stability in dynamics of a biological population, community, or ecosystem can be formalized in the framework of corresponding mathematical models. These are often represented by systems of ordinary differential equations or difference equations. Matrices and Graphs covers achievements in the field using concepts from matrix theory and graph theory. The book effectively surveys applications of mathematical results pertinent to issues of theoretical and applied ecology. The only mathematical prerequisite for using Matrices and Graphs is a working knowledge of linear algebra and matrices. The book is ideal for biomathematicians, ecologists, and applied mathematicians doing research on dynamic behavior of model populations and communities consisting of multi-component systems. It will also be valuable as a text for a graduate-level topics course in applied math or mathematical ecology.

Final Environmental Statement

Final Environmental Statement PDF Author: United States. Department of the Interior. Alaska Planning Group
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Environmental impact statements
Languages : en
Pages : 778

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Book Description
A detailed assessment of the environmental impacts associated with the establishment of the proposed National Park. Includes an inventory of the resources of the area.