OPS 3-6
Ecological concepts: Of what value, and for whom? Results of a survey
Ecology has numerous concepts, many of which are abstractions of how nature is organized (ontologies and metaphysical descriptions), while fewer explain and predict how nature works (theories). Concepts are important to those ecologists who teach ecology—if and when they are teaching. But how useful are they for ecologists when they are performing either basic or applied research, consulting, or managing resources? For example, how often do ecologists turn to principles of evolution or basic demographic equations when they are addressing a particular issue? If some concepts are actually useful, which are they, and for which kinds of practices are they useful? What are the relationships between concept utility and user variables such as age, gender and employment?
This poster is an extension of Special Session 9865 occurring Monday morning, 11 August. That session will have included a real-time, on-line survey seeking attendees' opinions about which of 105 ecological concepts are useful to them in their research or applied practices.
Results/Conclusions
The poster will exhibit results of the Special Session insofar as data from that session have been analyzed. Poster visitors will be offered an opportunity to take the survey on paper as part of a separate survey population, results of which will be compiled at a later time. This poster will also be an opportunity for dialogues on the nature of concepts; whether some useful concepts were missed in the survey; why some concepts are more useful than others, and to whom; whether any concepts have ever become obsolete; whether many are just variants of the same idea; and whether new concepts are needed? These conversations will contribute toward planning special events for ESA’s Centennial celebration in 2015.