SYMP 8

The Importance of 100 Years of Natural History to the Ecological Sciences

The roots of ecology and evolutionary biology lie in the fertile ground of natural history. This symposium will highlight how natural history has provided both the initial seeds and the foundations for advancing the frontiers of ecological science. The speakers will draw from a broad range of perspectives, including the retrospective impact of classic papers that were based largely on natural history information to ecological science, the key role of natural history to the development of classic ecological concepts, experiments, and theory, the importance of natural history for modern ecological studies, and natural history education and citizen science. In addition, the symposium will also highlight the application of natural history to conservation and management based on lessons learned from classic and contemporary studies. The symposium will conclude with a discussion of future directions for natural history’s role in ecological science as well as a synthesis of specific mechanisms to ensure that the next century of ecological science is grounded in natural history.