The Neutral-Niche Debate: A Philosophical Perspective
| Autor: | Paul L. Wennekes, Rampal S. Etienne, James Rosindell |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Etienne group |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Instrumentalism media_common.quotation_subject Biodiversity Consensus theory Biology Models Biological 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology BIODIVERSITY THEORY COEXISTENCE 03 medical and health sciences Dispersal-assembly Species Specificity Environmental Science(all) DISPERSAL SPECIATION Ecosystem 030304 developmental biology General Environmental Science media_common 0303 health sciences Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all) HYPOTHESIS Ecology Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology(all) Applied Mathematics Perspective (graphical) SPECIES-DIVERSITY Regular Article Niche-assembly Mathematical Concepts General Medicine 15. Life on land Epistemology MODEL Philosophy of biology Philosophy COMMUNITY ECOLOGY General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Neutral theory of molecular evolution ZERO-SUM ASSUMPTION Realism Diversity (politics) RECONCILING NICHE |
| Zdroj: | Acta biotheoretica, 60(3), 257-271. SPRINGER Acta Biotheoretica |
| ISSN: | 0001-5342 |
| Popis: | Ecological communities around the world are under threat while a consensus theory of community structure remains elusive. In the last decade ecologists have struggled with two seemingly opposing theories: niche-based theory that explains diversity with species' differences and the neutral theory of biodiversity that claims that much of the diversity we observe can be explained without explicitly invoking species' differences. Although ecologists are increasingly attempting to reconcile these two theories, there is still much resistance against the neutral theory of biodiversity. Here we argue that the dispute between the two theories is a classic example of the dichotomy between philosophical perspectives, realism and instrumentalism. Realism is associated with specific, small-scale and detailed explanations, whereas instrumentalism is linked to general, large-scale, but less precise accounts. Recognizing this will help ecologists get both niche-based and neutral theories in perspective as useful tools for understanding biodiversity patterns. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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