UNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHY

Ecological and evolutionary dynamics depend upon variation in birth and death rates. Consequently characterizing birth and death rates, and identifying factors that explain variation in these rates, should be the foundation of population and evolutionary ecology. Given the central role of birth and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Smallegange, I, Coulson, T
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2009
_version_ 1797092711395753984
author Smallegange, I
Coulson, T
author_facet Smallegange, I
Coulson, T
author_sort Smallegange, I
collection OXFORD
description Ecological and evolutionary dynamics depend upon variation in birth and death rates. Consequently characterizing birth and death rates, and identifying factors that explain variation in these rates, should be the foundation of population and evolutionary ecology. Given the central role of birth and death, it is perhaps surprising that relatively few population biologists apply the most recent demographic approaches to their research. This may be because demography is seen as little more than accounting, and therefore dull, or because stochastic demography is seen as mathematically challenging. It is our belief that ecologists and evolutionary biologists have much to gain through increased mastery of stochastic demography. Its applications could push forward our understanding of eco-evolutionary dynamics in stochastic environments, and the outcome could further the unification of ecology and evolution. In this essay we briefly explain why mastering demographic approaches should be a desirable objective for any evolutionary ecologist. We start by describing some aspects and insights gained through application of demographic methods, before suggesting an area where we believe application could prove insightful.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T03:49:54Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:c0dd97b2-716c-437e-bf62-5630ab7655af
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T03:49:54Z
publishDate 2009
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:c0dd97b2-716c-437e-bf62-5630ab7655af2022-03-27T05:57:24ZUNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHYJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:c0dd97b2-716c-437e-bf62-5630ab7655afEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Smallegange, ICoulson, TEcological and evolutionary dynamics depend upon variation in birth and death rates. Consequently characterizing birth and death rates, and identifying factors that explain variation in these rates, should be the foundation of population and evolutionary ecology. Given the central role of birth and death, it is perhaps surprising that relatively few population biologists apply the most recent demographic approaches to their research. This may be because demography is seen as little more than accounting, and therefore dull, or because stochastic demography is seen as mathematically challenging. It is our belief that ecologists and evolutionary biologists have much to gain through increased mastery of stochastic demography. Its applications could push forward our understanding of eco-evolutionary dynamics in stochastic environments, and the outcome could further the unification of ecology and evolution. In this essay we briefly explain why mastering demographic approaches should be a desirable objective for any evolutionary ecologist. We start by describing some aspects and insights gained through application of demographic methods, before suggesting an area where we believe application could prove insightful.
spellingShingle Smallegange, I
Coulson, T
UNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHY
title UNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHY
title_full UNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHY
title_fullStr UNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHY
title_full_unstemmed UNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHY
title_short UNIFYING ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL STOCHASTIC DEMOGRAPHY
title_sort unifying ecological and evolutionary dynamics through experimental stochastic demography
work_keys_str_mv AT smallegangei unifyingecologicalandevolutionarydynamicsthroughexperimentalstochasticdemography
AT coulsont unifyingecologicalandevolutionarydynamicsthroughexperimentalstochasticdemography