Unsolved Problems in Ecology
408Unsolved Problems in Ecology
408Paperback
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Overview
Unsolved Problems in Ecology brings together many of the world's leading ecologists to discuss the most fundamental research questions confronting the field today. This diverse and thought-provoking collection of essays spans virtually all of the key subfields of the discipline, from behavioral and evolutionary ecology to population biology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, disease ecology, and conservation biology. These essays are intended to stoke curiosity, challenge prevailing wisdom, and provoke new ways of thinking about ecology in light of new technologies and unprecedented environmental challenges brought on by climate and land-use change. Authoritative and accessible, Unsolved Problems in Ecology is ideal for graduate students in the early stages of their scientific careers and an essential resource for seasoned ecologists looking for exciting new directions to take their research.
- Sheds light on modern ecology's most important and compelling open questions
- Features thought-provoking contributions from more than two dozen world-class ecologists
- Covers behavior, evolution, communities, ecosystems, resource management, and more
- Discusses ways to raise the financial and intellectual profile of the discipline
- An invaluable resource for graduate students as well as seasoned ecologists
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9780691199825 |
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Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
Publication date: | 06/02/2020 |
Pages: | 408 |
Product dimensions: | 6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Preface Andrew Dobson Robert D. Holt David Tilman xi
List of Contributors xvii
Part I Populations, Variability, and Scaling
Ecological Scaling in Space and Time: A New Tool in Plain Sight? Elizabeth T. Borer 3
How Will Organisms Respond to Complex, Novel Environments? Emilie C. Snell-Rood Megan E. Kobiela 16
Variance-Explicit Ecology: A Call for Holistic Study of the Consequences of Variability at Multiple Scales Marcel Holyoak William C. Wetzel 25
Why Dqes Intra-Cenotypic Variance Persist? C. Jessica E. Metcalf Julien F. Ayroles 43
Population Dynamics of Species with Complex Life Cycles Andrew Dobson 55
What Determines Population Density? Robert M. May 67
Part II Population Biology and the Ecology of Individuals
Neglected Problems in Ecology: Interdependence and Mutualism Egbert Giles Leigh Jr. 79
Ecology "through the Looking Class": What Might Be the Ecological Consequences of Stopping Mutation? Robert D. Holt 92
Ecology and Evolution Is Hindered by the Lack of Individual-Based Data Tim Coulson 107
Do Temperate and Tropical Birds Have Different Mating Systems? Christina Riehl 115
Leaf Structure and Function Peter J. Crubb 124
Part III Coexistence
The Dimensions of Species Coexistence Johnathan M. Levine Simon P. Hart 145
Evolution, Speciation, and the Persistence Paradox Andrew R Tilman David Tilman 160
What Is the Species Richness Distribution? Pablo A. Marquet Mauricio Tejo Rolando Rebolledo 177
Two Sides of the Same Coin: High Non-Neutral Diversity and High-Dimensional Trait Space in Pathogen Populations and Ecological Communities Mercedes Pascual 189
Part IV Ecological Communities and Ecosystems
What Regulates Growth across Levels of Organization? Ian Hatton 203
The Ecosystem: Superorganism, or Collection of Individuals? Michel Loreau 218
Untangling Food Webs Robert M. Pringle 225
What Determines the Abundance of Lianas and Vines? Helene C. Mailer-Landau Stephen W. Pacala 239
The World Beneath Us: Making Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning Central to Environmental Policy Diana H. Wall Ross A. Virginia 265
Part V Ecology and Health
Ecology and Medicines Andrew F. Read 279
Six Wedges to Curing Disease Michael E. Hochberg 288
Part VI Conservation Biology and Natural Resource Management
Collective Cooperation: From Ecological Communities to Global Governance and Back Simon Levin 311
Keeping the Faith: The Case for Very-Large Terrestrial and Marine Protected Areas Tim Caro 318
How Does Biodiversity Relate to Ecosystem Functioning in Natural Ecosystems? Rachael Winfree 338
Part VII Final Thoughts
A Science Business Model for Answering Important Questions Kevin Lafferty 357
Going Big Stefano Allesina 374
Index 381
What People are Saying About This
"I really enjoyed reading Unsolved Problems in Ecology. This collection of essays got me thinking about some new topics and reflecting on some long-held assumptions with a different perspective."—Georgina Mace, University College London"Unsolved Problems in Ecology is a compendium loaded with insights from contributors who range from rising stars to well-known midcareer scientists to famous senior ecologists. I can hardly imagine a more relevant or exciting volume for ecologists of any stripe."—James A. Estes, University of California, Santa Cruz