Defining ecology is not really all that hard, and yes, it is worth doing. The definitions found in elementary ecology texts like that of Krebs are quite satisfactory. Krebs said, "Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms." Whether a person believes that ecology has been divorced from organisms or not ( subject for another endless bull session), the interactions that those who do not address organisms directly study do in part determine the distribution and abundance of organisms. Simple and straightforward definitions are valuable, whether or not some claim that our science is "too complex" for them. Krebs' definition entails all the complexity that we investigate. His definition (other straightforward definitions serve as well, I just chose his for now) is useful especially in that it provides a starting point for students and the public to understand what we do and why we do it. Does Krebs' definition take "environment" out, since it does not use the word? No, it does not. Begon, Townsend and Harper, in their elementary ecology text explained this quite well. With what do organisms interact? Their environment. To belabor the fact that interactions are based in physics is unnecessary. Yes, ultimately physical laws explain what organisms do. For complex behaviors, such as social interactions, the steps between the physical law and the biotic activity are many and lengthy, and the study of the behavior does not require, nor even benefit from an analysis of the underlying physical laws until the higher levels of complexity have been examined. Yes, ultimately energy flow matters, even in mate choice. But one does not have to consult thermodynamics to investigate valid questions about mate choice. Sometimes I think that WE are why so many people misunderstand ecology. We are not willing to address it for them to their benefit. Liane, keep teaching, and keep giving your students a chance to get started on the path that so many of us have forgotten we had to tread. mcneely
---- Matt Chew <[email protected]> wrote: > It's nice to see signs of life. Right now responding to one in particular: > > Defining ecology is much harder than Liane Cochran-Stafira's hopeful > assertion suggests. > > She favors "The scientific discipline that is concerned with the > relationships between organisms and their past, present and future > environments, both living and non-living." which may well have been > mentioned during the 2000 ESA meeting but can't easily be traced there; it > does appear on the ESA website at > http://www.esa.org/education/resources_teachers/generalEdu/ecologyEducation.php. > That document cites only two draft documents produced by the ESA Education > Committee in 1991. > > What's "wrong" with Liane's definition? Much of current ecology explicitly > avoids dealing with organisms. Only past relationships can be described > because they are all "past" by the time data are recorded, and very much > past by the time research is published. Futures can be modeled, and model > outputs can be studied, but the future cannot be studied. Finally, the > elephant in the room: "concerned" allows for a wide range of > interpretations. > > Meanwhile, there are other definitions of ecology lurking in the current > ESA website: > ** > "Ecology is the study of the relationships between living organisms, > including humans, and their physical environment; it seeks to understand > the vital connections between plants and animals and the world around them. > Ecology also provides information about the benefits of ecosystems and how > we can use Earth's resources in ways that leave the environment healthy for > future generations." (http://www.esa.org/education/LME/ecologyANDme.php) > > "Ecology is *the study of* interconnectedness." ( > www.esa.org/education_diversity/pdfDocs/coralreefs.pdf) > > "[Ecology, in its simplest form is] the study of the interactions between > organisms and their environment" ( > www.esa.org/seeds/pdf/2011%20AM%20Report.pdf) > > "ECOLOGY: from Greek oikos = house (place we live) logos = (study of) > · the scientific study of organisms and their environment, addressing: > · the distribution and abundance of organisms > · how living things interact with each other and their environment > · the fluxes of matter and energy through the living world > · the full set of relationships between organisms and their environment, > for example: > · the ecology of the tropical rainforest > · the ecology of the malaria mosquito > · a disciplinary field, a profession, a community of scientists of which > you can be a part!" > (www.esa.org/education_diversity/pdfDocs/careers-undergrad.pdf) > > Spreading the net slightly wider, if we take ecology to be what ecologists > do, we can add: > > *"E*cologists study oceans, deserts, forests, cities, grasslands, rivers, > and every other corner of the world."(http://www.esa.org/ecologist/) > > "*Ecologists... * > > - conduct research outdoors and in the laboratory - by asking both > theoretical and practical questions that can be investigated using > scientific techniques in exotic places or close to home. > - teach students and the general public -at universities or colleges as > well as at high schools, museums, and nature centers. > - apply ecological knowledge to solve environmental problems - by > investigating ecological issues, interacting with affected communities, > writing environmental impact statements, and designing sustainable > practices. > - help manage natural resources - by monitoring, managing, or restoring > populations and ecosystems. > - advise students and local, state and federal policy makers - by > recommending course work and research, working on committees, and providing > the best available scientific information to politicians. > - communicate with co-workers, students, and the public - by writing > articles and research papers, giving lectures and presentations, > participating in discussions, and conducting outreach in their local > communities." > > (http://www.esa.org/education_diversity/webDocs/undergraduate.php#first) > > ESA does not clearly define or explain its "E". BES has no such problem. > You can find the BES definition of ecology one click away from their main > website: "Ecology is the study of the distribution and abundance of > organisms, the interaction between organisms, the interaction between > organisms and their environment, and structure and function of > ecosystems." This definition has its problems (e.g., "ecology…is the study > of ecosystems") but at least the definition is there to be debated.( > http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/about_ecology/) > > "Ecology" has been defined, debated and redefined many times since the > 1860s (when it existed largely in prospect). Today there are over 50 other > national and regional organizations of professional ecologists defining > ecology. There is no real likelihood that all ecologists could ever agree > on either a narrow essential definition or an expansive description. > > Does that matter? That, too seems to depend on who you ask. > > > Matthew K Chew > Assistant Research Professor > Arizona State University School of Life Sciences > > ASU Center for Biology & Society > PO Box 873301 > Tempe, AZ 85287-3301 USA > Tel 480.965.8422 > Fax 480.965.8330 > [email protected] or [email protected] > http://cbs.asu.edu/people/profiles/chew.php > http://asu.academia.edu/MattChew -- David McNeely
