Ecology has multiple scientific methods

  1. Monitoring
  2. Natural experiments
  3. Controlled experiments
  4. Modeling      
1. Monitoring

Observe and record the organisms in their natural environment. 
(understand the distribution & abundance of organisms)

2. Natural experiments

Find out how the organism reacts to certain changes in its surroundings.

3. Controlled experiments 

Organisms in controlled environments such as laboratory, greenhouse, or cage.
(Easier to record information under controlled conditions)    

4. Modeling 

Models are simplified representations of the real ecological system in nature.

There are 2 main ecological models

  1. Analytical models
  2. Simulation/computational models

Analytical models

  • simple system.
  • Its described by a set of mathematical equations.
Prey-predator model(Alfred J.Lotka, 1925 & Vito Volterra, 1926).

The model was created from a pair of ordinary differential equations. One equation representing a Prey species, the other equation is predatory.

Lotka and Volterra prey-predator model

Simulation models

  • It cant be solved analytically.
  • Each individual organism within the population.
  • The individual-based model simulates the growth, reproduction, and mortality of each individual based on the size & carrying capacity of the habitat (vary as a function of resource availability).