The Theory of Ecology
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It concerns me both as an educator and ecologist that students beginning their studies pay so much attention to getting information and so little idea to where it fits in. The debate between information and knowledge is alive and well on the net (try searching using that phrase!). What is worrying is that the internet opens up data and information whilst closing down knowledge and this is a trend which is being followed increasingly in education (I was going to write school education but realised it is seen elsewhere!). From this, it follows that ecology needs overarching theories, not just to make broad statements about ecological phenomena but to allow those starting their studies to realise how it all fits together.
The foreword starts by invoking Hempel as a way of focussing on the value of theory but they also suggest that ecological theory is flourishing. There are merits in both ideas. Certainly theory creates a framework for understanding and it is that framework that the tyro needs. Equally certainly, judging by book titles alone, the theory of ecology is booming as one might expect of a maturing science. In this respect it draws close parallels to Geography whose foundations in the empirical gave way to the theorizing in the late C19th but especially after the 1960s.
The editors do far more than just collect theories and to see the work one needs to examine both first and last chapters! Their idea is to create a theory (or perhaps that should be model) within which other theories can be placed. Although they refer to them as hierarchy, perhaps scope would be a better word since hierarchy suggests quality and it’s really nature that we are dealing with. The scope of specificity lays out theories in order from the most general (affecting possibly all biological sciences) to the most tightly focussed model. The ecological scope creates a spectrum from molecule to biome. Does such thinking aid the ecologist? This would depend on how mature you saw the subject. Ecology is a relatively young science and as such is still developing. Some areas are far better developed than others so in addition to discussing theory, the editors can also highlight areas needing further work. Whilst we can leave the final chapter, the first one continues by describing the fundamental principles under which ecology works.
From this start, the text is given over to a range of contributors each highlighting specific aspects along these spectra. We start with a pair of contrasting essays on the nature of theory and its value. A practising ecologist describes the value of theory to ecological work whilst a philosopher of science outlines the requirement for a theory focussing most upon the model described above and discussed in chapter one. The result is a detailed exposition on the nature of theory and the elements it must contain to be successful. Chapter four starts the discussion about specific theories with an examination of foraging theory. The direction taken here to to follow the strictures of the editors and describe this theory as a set of propositions that can then be subjected to scrutiny. It makes a sound practical example to the theory of earlier chapters. In slight contrast, ecological niche theory leads with a brief history of the theory and then examines key propositions. This is followed by population dynamics. Here we have one of the widest ranging and oldest theories. The contributor chooses to examine this theory with respect to the scales at which it is applied – individual to metapopulation. Chapter seven takes a longer view of enemy-victim (predator-prey) relationships looking at the mathematical side of the various models. Work on metacommunity and succession theory in subsequent chapters highlight the linkages that can be made between a range of theories. Metacommunity studies are specifically linked to other chapters in the book. Of all of the theories mentioned, the equilibrium theory of island biogeography must get the most attention. Its inclusion here allows the contributors to discuss both history and development. Final examples look at ecosystem ecology, global change and gradients.
This is a very interesting text on a number of levels. As a description of theory it provides a clear account of the main ones so that the student ecologist could appreciate where ideas sat within the discipline. However, it is much more. It seeks to provide a framework and descriptive toolkit for theory – a theory of theories! It argues at a conceptual level for specific aspects to be addressed ( the scale and domain noted earlier) and it is intriguing to see how the various contributors have interpreted this in their work. Leaving aside the philosophical elements it brings a dynamic to the work that can often be missing. It not only argues for a dynamic approach to theory, it plainly demonstrates this by its approach to writing. There’s an obvious style and freshness to the work that makes a difficult subject attractive – that says how ecology is developing (and that one can see clearly how this is happening). It would not be going too far to suggest it is one of the best examples of writing in ecology that can be found. There are few authors who can do this and as editors the job is even harder. This is a text that deserves to be read on a number of levels.
