受賞者

Daisuke Kyogoku（京極大助）Tohoku University

受賞式および受賞講演

10月7日（日）11:15 - 12:15 A会場

On Generality in Ecology

Science seeks general theory that can explain many empirical facts based on few assumptions. Ecology, a branch of science, seeks explanations for the distribution and abundance of organisms, including how they are affected by phenotypic evolution. The presence of general laws in ecology has sometimes been questioned. However, what does generality mean in ecology in the first place? According to dictionary definitions, general implies applicable to all or most cases, but it also implies considering or including only the main features or elements of something (not exact or detailed). Then, what are the “main” features or elements of organisms, their phenotypes and their interactions? Ecological patterns show scale dependence. Scale dependence implies that the main features or elements are dependent on scales. Skepticism about the presence of general theory in ecology seems at least in part due to the ignorance of scale dependence. I argue that ecological explanations should specify at which scale they are applicable. In this talk, I would like to discuss how failure to do so can harm scientific discussion, and how avoiding this pitfall may help us find scientific questions.