Experimental Ecology

Experimentation is now a dominant approach in ecology, pervading studies at all levels of biological organization and across diverse taxa and habitats. In Experimental Ecology, eminent ecologists synthesize insights from these varied sources into a cogent statement about the role of experiments in ecology. The authors use perspectives derived from experimental approaches ranging from laboratory microcosms to manipulation of entire ecosystems to illustrate the many ways experiments strengthen ecological inferences. They also critique current practices to move ecology forward on all fronts: from better designs, to better links between experiments and theory, to more realism in experiments targeted at specific systems and questions. Students of ecology at all stages of their careers will find this book a valuable source of ideas and perspectives.