Article ID: CBB371845560

Functional ecology's non-selectionist understanding of function (2018)

unapi

This paper reinforces the current consensus against the applicability of the selected effect theory of function in ecology. It does so by presenting an argument which, in contrast with the usual argument invoked in support of this consensus, is not based on claims about whether ecosystems are customary units of natural selection. Instead, the argument developed here is based on observations about the use of the function concept in functional ecology, and more specifically, research into the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. It is argued that a selected effect account of ecological functions is made implausible by the fact that it would conflict with important aspects of the understanding of function and ecosystem functional organization which underpins functional ecology's research program. Specifically, it would conflict with (1) Functional ecology's adoption of a context-based understanding of function and its aim to study the functional equivalence between phylogenetically-divergent organisms; (2) Functional ecology's attribution to ecosystems of a lower degree of part-whole integration than the one found in paradigm individual organisms; and (3) Functional ecology's adoption of a physiological or metabolic perspective on ecosystems rather than an evolutionary one.

...More
Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB371845560/

Similar Citations

Article Reuss, Martin; Bernhardtb, Emily; Bunna, Stuart E.; Hartc, David D.; Björn Malmqvistd, Timo Muotkae; Naimanf, Robert J.; Pringleg, Catherine; Wilgeni, Brian van; (2006)
Perspective: The Challenge of Ecologically Sustainable Water Management (/isis/citation/CBB001180773/)

Article Palomares, Maria Lourdes D.; Heymans, Johanna J.; Pauly, Daniel; (2007)
Historical Ecology of the Raja Ampat Archipelago, Papua Province, Indonesia (/isis/citation/CBB000831351/)

Article van der Valk, Arnold G.; (2014)
From Formation to Ecosystem: Tansley's Response to Clements' Climax (/isis/citation/CBB001214554/)

Article Hedin, Lars O.; (2012)
F. Herbert Bormann (1922--2012) (/isis/citation/CBB001320470/)

Thesis Herron, John Paul; (2001)
“The reality of living”: Science, gender, and nature in American culture, 1865-1965 (/isis/citation/CBB001560932/)

Article Höhler, Sabine; (2010)
The Environment as a Life Support System: The Case of Biosphere 2 (/isis/citation/CBB001030021/)

Article Sörlin, Sverker; (2007)
Ekologins amerikanska historia. Rötter i storstad och öken (/isis/citation/CBB001220356/)

Book West, Paige; (2006)
Conservation is Our Government Now: The Politics of Ecology in Papua New Guinea (/isis/citation/CBB000772104/)

Book Maclaurin, James; Sterelny, Kim; (2008)
What Is Biodiversity? (/isis/citation/CBB000954230/)

Article Simberloff, Daniel; (2012)
Integrity, Stability, and Beauty: Aldo Leopold's Evolving View of Nonnative Species (/isis/citation/CBB001232543/)

Article Aaron Wells; (2020)
Kant, Linnaeus, and the economy of nature (/isis/citation/CBB872058525/)

Article Latorre, Juan Garcia; Picon, Andres Sanchez; Latorre, Jesus Garcia; (2001)
The Man-Made Desert: Effects of Economic and Demographic Growth on the Ecosystems of Arid Southeastern Spain (/isis/citation/CBB000101031/)

Book Chazdon, Robin L.; Whitmore, T. C.; (2001)
Foundations of Tropical Forest Biology: Classic Papers with Commentaries (/isis/citation/CBB000102621/)

Book Carmel Finley; (2017)
All the Boats on the Ocean: How Government Subsidies Led to Global Overfishing (/isis/citation/CBB479199142/)

Book Vetter, Jeremy; (2010)
Knowing Global Environments: New Historical Perspectives in the Field Sciences (/isis/citation/CBB001021712/)

Book Coleman, David C.; (2010)
Big Ecology: The Emergence of Ecosystem Science (/isis/citation/CBB001020904/)

Essay Review Hagen, Joel B.; (2014)
Emerging Ecologies: Past, Present, and Future (/isis/citation/CBB001566303/)

Authors & Contributors
Wells, Aaron
Wilgeni, Brian van
Pringleg, Catherine
Naimanf, Robert J.
Hartc, David D.
Bunna, Stuart E.
Concepts
Ecology
Environmental sciences
Ecosystem
Biology
Biological diversity; biodiversity
Environmental history
Time Periods
20th century
20th century, late
20th century, early
19th century
21st century
18th century
Places
United States
Gulf of Mexico
New Guinea
Indonesia
Spain
Institutions
International Geophysical Year (IGY)
Comments

Be the first to comment!

{{ comment.created_by.username }} on {{ comment.created_on | date:'medium' }}

Log in or register to comment