Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology

Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology PDF Author: WALTER DODDS
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520944542
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 250

Get Book

Book Description
Physics and chemistry are distinguished from biology by the way generalizations are codified into theories tested by observation and experimentation. Some theories have been sufficiently tested to qualify as laws. In ecology, generalizations worthy of being called theories are less common because observations and experimentation are difficult and exceptions are more common. In this book, Walter K. Dodds enumerates generalizations in ecology. Introductory material describes how the practice of science in general, and ecology specifically, yields theories and laws. Dodds also discusses why such ideas are only useful if they have predictive ability, and delineates the scope of these generalizations and the constraints that limit their application. The result is a short book that delves deeply into important ecological ideas and how they predict and provide understanding.

Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology

Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology PDF Author: WALTER DODDS
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520944542
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 250

Get Book

Book Description
Physics and chemistry are distinguished from biology by the way generalizations are codified into theories tested by observation and experimentation. Some theories have been sufficiently tested to qualify as laws. In ecology, generalizations worthy of being called theories are less common because observations and experimentation are difficult and exceptions are more common. In this book, Walter K. Dodds enumerates generalizations in ecology. Introductory material describes how the practice of science in general, and ecology specifically, yields theories and laws. Dodds also discusses why such ideas are only useful if they have predictive ability, and delineates the scope of these generalizations and the constraints that limit their application. The result is a short book that delves deeply into important ecological ideas and how they predict and provide understanding.

Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology

Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology PDF Author: Walter Kennedy Dodds
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biotic communities
Languages : en
Pages : 260

Get Book

Book Description
"Physics and chemistry are distinguished from biology by the way generalizations are codified into theories tested by observation and experimentation. This work enumerates generalizations in ecology. It describes how the practice of science, in general, and ecology specifically, yields theories and laws." -- BOOK PUBLISHER WEBSITE.

Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology

Laws, Theories, and Patterns in Ecology PDF Author: Walter Dodds
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520260414
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 250

Get Book

Book Description
"Physics and chemistry are distinguished from biology by the way generalizations are codified into theories tested by observation and experimentation. This work enumerates generalizations in ecology. It describes how the practice of science, in general, and ecology specifically, yields theories and laws." -- BOOK PUBLISHER WEBSITE.

Ecological Understanding

Ecological Understanding PDF Author: Steward T.A. Pickett
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 9780080546049
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 248

Get Book

Book Description
This widely anticipated revision of the groundbreaking book, Ecological Understanding, updates this crucial sourcebook of contemporary philosophical insights for practicing ecologists and graduate students in ecology and environmental studies. The second edition contains new ecological examples, an expanded array of conceptual diagrams and illustrations, new text boxes summarizing important points or defining key terms, and new reference to philosophical issues and controversies. Although the first edition was recognized for its clarity, this revision takes the opportunity to make the exposition of complex topics still clearer to readers without a philosophical background. Readers will gain an understanding of the goals of science, the structure of theory, the kinds of theory relevant to ecology, the way that theory changes, what constitutes objectivity in contemporary science, and the role of paradigms and frameworks for synthesis within ecology and in integration with other disciplines. Finally, how theory can inform and anchor the public use of ecological knowledge in civic debates is laid out. This new edition refines the understanding of how the structure and change of theory can improve the growth and application of one of the 21st century’s key sciences. · Explains the philosophical basis of ecology in plain English · Contains chapter overviews and summaries · Text boxes highlight key points, examples, or controversies · Diagrams explain structure and development of theory, and integration · Evaluates and relates paradgims in ecology · Illustrates philosophical issues with classic and new ecological research

The Theory of Ecology

The Theory of Ecology PDF Author: Samuel M. Scheiner
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226736873
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 416

Get Book

Book Description
Despite claims to the contrary, the science of ecology has a long history of building theories. Many ecological theories are mathematical, computational, or statistical, though, and rarely have attempts been made to organize or extrapolate these models into broader theories. The Theory of Ecology brings together some of the most respected and creative theoretical ecologists of this era to advance a comprehensive, conceptual articulation of ecological theories. The contributors cover a wide range of topics, from ecological niche theory to population dynamic theory to island biogeography theory. Collectively, the chapters ably demonstrate how theory in ecology accounts for observations about the natural world and how models provide predictive understandings. It organizes these models into constitutive domains that highlight the strengths and weaknesses of ecological understanding. This book is a milestone in ecological theory and is certain to motivate future empirical and theoretical work in one of the most exciting and active domains of the life sciences.

Perspectives in Ecological Theory

Perspectives in Ecological Theory PDF Author: Jonathan Roughgarden
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400860180
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 403

Get Book

Book Description
This volume presents an overview of current accomplishments and future directions in ecological theory. The twenty-three chapters cover a broad range of important topics, from the physiology and behavior of individuals or groups of organisms, through population dynamics and community structure, to the ecology of ecosystems and the geochemical cycles of the entire biosphere. The authors focus on ways in which theory, whether expressed mathematically or verbally, can contribute to defining and solving fundamental problems in ecology. A second aim is to highlight areas where dialogue between theorists and empiricists is likely to be especially rewarding. The authors are R. M. Anderson, C. W. Clark, M. L. Cody, J. E. Cohen, P. R. Ehrlich, M. W. Feldman, M. E. Gilpin, L. J. Gross, M. P. Hassell, H. S. Horn, P. Kareiva, M.A.R. Koehl, S. A. Levin, R. M. May, L. D. Mueller, R. V. O'Neill, S. W. Pacala, S. L. Pimm, T. M. Powell, H. R. Pulliam, J. Roughgarden, W. H. Schlesinger, H. H. Shugart, S. M. Stanley, J. H. Steele, D. Tilman, J. Travis, and D. L. Urban. Originally published in 1989. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Environmental Education

Environmental Education PDF Author: Matthew Etherington
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1666724955
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 197

Get Book

Book Description
This book has a single motif and a dual purpose. Its motif is the portrayal of influential authors within an environmental framework and worldview. The design is presented in different ways in which environmental understandings might be understood. The purposes are to engender in the reader a broad knowledge of some of the ideas and problems inherent in a discussion of nature and the environment and to stimulate the reader to go further into the sources of their tradition and worldview in search of meaning and insights that are uniquely relevant to their philosophy.

Understanding Nature

Understanding Nature PDF Author: Louise M. Weber
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000859967
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 551

Get Book

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.

Patterns of Interaction

Patterns of Interaction PDF Author: Pia Fricker
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9811990832
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 96

Get Book

Book Description
This book is a reflection on contemporary computational design thinking at the intersection of architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture, in a time marked by complex challenges like climate change, urbanization and population growth. Based on a critical rethinking of the notion of ground and the relation between the manmade and the natural environment, an understanding of architecture as regenerative practice is proposed. It aims at a built environment as landscape, at an architecture of prosthetic nature. The design approach is illustrated by a number of design experiments conducted within a studio setting and complemented by a series of conversations with leading experts on sustainable design and landscape architecture.

Landscape Ecology in Theory and Practice

Landscape Ecology in Theory and Practice PDF Author: Monica G. Turner
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1493927949
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 482

Get Book

Book Description
This work provides in-depth analysis of the origins of landscape ecology and its close alignment with the understanding of scale, the causes of landscape pattern, and the interactions of spatial pattern with a variety of ecological processes. The text covers the quantitative approaches that are applied widely in landscape studies, with emphasis on their appropriate use and interpretation. The field of landscape ecology has grown rapidly during this period, its concepts and methods have matured, and the published literature has increased exponentially. Landscape research has enhanced understanding of the causes and consequences of spatial heterogeneity and how these vary with scale, and they have influenced the management of natural and human-dominated landscapes. Landscape ecology is now considered mainstream, and the approaches are widely used in many branches of ecology and are applied not only in terrestrial settings but also in aquatic and marine systems. In response to these rapid developments, an updated edition of Landscape Ecology in Theory and Practice provides a synthetic overview of landscape ecology, including its development, the methods and techniques that are employed, the major questions addressed, and the insights that have been gained.”