theoretical ecology

theoretical ecology [‚thē·ə‚red·ə·kəl ē′käl·ə·jē]

(ecology)

The use of mathematical models and verbal reasoning to provide a conceptual framework for the analysis of ecological systems.

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Theoretical ecology

The use of models to explain patterns, suggest experiments, or make predictions in ecology. Because ecological systems are idiosyncratic, extremely complex, and variable, ecological theory faces special challenges. Unlike physics or genetics, which use fundamental laws of gravity or of inheritance, ecology has no widely accepted first-principle laws. Instead, different theories must be invoked for different questions, and the theoretical approaches are enormously varied. A central problem in ecological theory is determining what type of model to use and what to leave out of a model. The traditional approaches have relied on analytical models based on differential or difference equations; but recently the use of computer simulation has greatly increased. See Ecological modeling, Ecology

The nature of ecological theory varies depending on the level of ecological organization on which the theory focuses. The primary levels of ecological organization are (1) physiological and biomechanical, (2) evolutionary (especially applied to behavior), (3) population, and (4) community.

At the physiological and biomechanical level, the goals of ecological theory are to understand why particular structures are present and how they work. The approaches of fluid dynamics and even civil engineering have been applied to understanding the structures of organisms, ranging from structures that allow marine organisms to feed, to physical constraints on the stems of plants.

At the behavioral evolutionary level, the goals of ecological theory are to explain and predict the different choices that individual organisms make. Underlying much of this theory is an assumption of optimality: the theories assume that evolution produces an optimal behavior, and they attempt to determine the characteristics of the optimal behavior so it can be compared with observed behavior. One area with well-developed theory is foraging behavior (where and how animals choose to feed). Another example is the use of game theory to understand the evolution of behaviors that are apparently not optimal for an individual but may instead be better for a group. See Behavioral ecology

The population level has the longest history of ecological theory and perhaps the broadest application. The simplest models of single-species populations ignore differences among individuals and assume that the birth rates and death rates are proportional to the number of individuals in the population. If this is the case, the rate of growth is exponential, a result that goes back at least as far as Malthus's work in the 1700s. As Malthus recognized, this result produces a dilemma: exponential growth cannot continue unabated. Thus, one of the central goals of population ecology theory is to determine the forces and ecological factors that prevent exponential growth and to understand the consequences for the dynamics of ecological populations. See Population ecology

Modifications and extensions of theoretical approaches like the logistic model (which uses differential equations to explain the stability of populations) have also been used to guide the management of renewable natural resources. Here, the most basic concept is that of the maximum sustainable yield, which is the greatest level of harvest at which a population can continue to persist. See Adaptive management

The primary goal of ecological theory at the community level is to understand diversity at local and regional scales. Recent work has emphasized that a great deal of diversity in communities may depend on trade-offs. For example, a trade-off between competitive prowess and colonization ability is capable of explaining why so many plants persist in North American prairies. Another major concept in community theory is the role of disturbance. Understanding how disturbances (such as fires, hurricanes, or wind storms) impacts communities is crucial because humans typically alter disturbance. See Biodiversity, Ecological communities