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Levels of understanding in ecology: interspecific competition and community ecology
Author(s) -
Walter G. H.,
Paterson H. E. H.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1995.tb00563.x
Subject(s) - interspecific competition , ecology , competition (biology) , compromise , relevance (law) , interpretation (philosophy) , subject (documents) , community , geography , sociology , biology , political science , social science , habitat , computer science , law , programming language , library science
Ecological interpretation has been subject to several divisive controversies, involving, for example, the significance of density dependence and interspecific competition as ecological processes. Generally, resolution has been obtained through compromise and concensus or calls for yet more data. Essentially, both sides in the discussion are seen to have been correct to some extent. As a consequence the debates have been portrayed widely as having been sterile. We agree, but only because they have been conducted at a level so superficial that the relevance of the original criticisms to the theoretical structure of ecology has not been widely appreciated, nor resolved. Debate that deals with ecological generalizations must be conducted at a level appropriate to such aims.