changes are a natural part of systems including science

@cjlortie

criticism of ecology has been profound

application, practice, statistics, interdisciplinary connections

ecology is a curious child determined to sample & explore lifeon her own unconventional terms

Aarssen 1997

society often demands conclusive answers & scientific debate is confused for lack of understanding

mistake. need balance.

‘it depends’ or context are common answers in ecology

get outside

theory a system of ideas intended to explain something

based on general independent principles

truth & stories are not dichotomies

need a narrative, purpose, & hypothesis to ‘test’

progress best measured not only by answersbut by questions & inspiration

data vs theory is the same continuum of ideas in different forms

sadly, there is still a ‘centrifugal force’ (Weiner 1995) sometimes keeping data & theory apart

solutions:principled datacollaborationopen science

within a discipline there arenecessarily many subjects

principled data = fundamental evidenceassociated with a chain of reasoning

Open science is the movement to make scientific research, data and dissemination accessible to all levels of an inquiring society.

process not just papers

eeb & Cadotte

collaboration is critical

collective solutions lead to synthesis & integration

Ecology is the patterns & effective processes in the abundance, distribution, & diversity of organisms.

effective processes = interactions

Aarssen 1997

practical ecology the interpretation of these patterns & interactions

using any approach that generates inspiration

modern synthesis

pluralism a condition or system in which two or more

states, groups, principles, coexist.

practical ecology is therefore integrative ecology

creative, critical ecology skills