IGN 14-7
Reuniting community ecology, ecosystem biogeochemistry, and ethology

Thursday, August 13, 2015
345, Baltimore Convention Center
Edward Rastetter, Marine Biological Laboratory
The three great branches of Ecology -- Population/Community Ecology, Ecosystem Biogeochemistry, and Ethology -- have diverged.  Each is based on its own unique conceptual framework with a unique hierarchical structure.  These hierarchical structures crisscross one another, but are not coincident. Nevertheless, some of the most pressing ecological questions of today require a combination of all three perspectives. What is the best way to allow interactions among these three hierarchical structures to foster a predictive understanding without diluting the contributions of each? Are we ready to reunite Ecology?