Toward a More Exact Ecology: 30th Symposium of the British Ecological Society

by Edited by Peter J. Grubb , John B. Whittaker

• ISBN13: 9780521100632
• ISBN10: 0521100631
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-01-29
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Over the last 25 years ecology has emerged from being a predominantly descriptive subject to one with a more substantial theoretical framework underpinned by evidence from experiments. In this advance, improved technology had undoubtedly played a most significant role; few ecologists could operate without a computer to hand and many branches of the subject require very sophisticated instrumentation. This period has also been seen much greater precision in the formation of hypothesis, a more general search for mechanisms, increasing integration with other disciplines and increasing demands for applications of the lessons learned. In the light of the progress made in ecology and widening public recognition of the problems to be solved, the future looks very promising. This symposium volume is aimed at considering the most fruitful current approaches and technologies, determining the major obstacles and reviewing the most likely profitable lines of advance.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

Toward a more exact ecology: a personal view of the issues

Physiological Processes in Free-Living Organisms

Gas exchange of plants in the field

Telemetric recording of physiological data from free-living animals

Determination of respiration rates of free-living animals by the double-labelling technique

Control of Population Size

Analysis of insect population dynamics

Control of population size in birds: the grey partridge as a case study

Mechanisms in plant population control

Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology

The reproductive ecology of plants and eusocial animals

Comparative studies in evolutionary ecology: using the data base

An experimentalists approach to the role of costs of reproduction in the evolution of life-histories

Interrelationships between Organisms

Factors affecting the relative abundance of forest tree species

Insect herbivory and plant defence theory

Butterfly-ant mutualisms

Ecosystem Ecology

Energy flow and productivity in the oceans

Soils as components and controllers of ecosystem processes

Forest decline in central Europe: the unravelling of multiple causes

Water pollution and the management of ecosystems: a case study of science and scientist

Toward an exact human ecology

Indexes

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