Unsolved Problems in Ecology

by Andrew Dobson (Editor), David Tilman (Editor), Robert D. Holt (Editor)

Overview

Leading ecologists discuss some of the most compelling open questions in the field today
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
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

Andrew Dobson is professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University. His books include Conservation and Biodiversity. Robert D. Holt is Eminent Scholar and Arthur R. Marshall, Jr., Chair in Ecological Studies at the University of Florida. His books include Metacommunities. David Tilman is Regents Professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in Ecology at the University of Minnesota. His books include The Functional Consequences of Biodiversity (Princeton).

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

From the Publisher

"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

Editorial Reviews

"The volume can be a provocative focus for a graduate reading group. ... Best of all, the essays show all of us that there is an enormous amount of good ecology to be done."—-Joseph Travis, The Quarterly Review of Biology

From the Publisher