Abstract
While accepting evolutionary theory, should ecologists be more sceptical about hypotheses derived solely from untestable assumptions about the past ? The authors put forward the view that many ecologists underestimate the efficacy of natural selection and fail to distinguish between phylogenetic and ecological questions.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sokal, R. R., and Sneath, P. H. A., Principles of Numerical Taxonomy (W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco and London, 1963).
Ehrlich, P. R., Syst. Zool., 13, 109 (1964).
Orians, G. H., Amer. Nat., 96, 257 (1962).
Lack, D., J. Animal Ecol., 34, 223 (1965).
Andrewartha, H. G., and Birch, L. C., The Distribution and Abundance of Animals (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1954).
Lack, D., Gibb, J., and Owen, D. F., Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 128, 313 (1957).
Perrins, C. M., J. Animal Ecol., 34, 601 (1965).
Lack, D., Ardea, 46, 71 (1958).
Lack, D., and Southern, H. N., Ibis, 91, 607 (1949).
Orians, G. H., and Collier, G., Evolution, 17, 449 (1963).
Lack, D., Ibis, 86, 260 (1944).
Birch, L. C., Amer. Nat., 91, 5 (1957).
Ehrlich, P. R., and Holm, R. W., Science, 137, 652 (1962).
Cole, L. C., Quart. Rev. Biol., 29, 103 (1954).
Lewontin, R. C., in Genetics of Colonizing Species (edit. by Baker, H. G., and Stebbins, G. L.) (Academic Press, New York, 1965).
Lack, D., The Natural Regulation of Animal Numbers (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1954).
Hamilton, W. J., and Orians, G. H., Condor, 67, 361 (1965).
Ehrlich, P. R., and Raven, P. H., Evolution, 18, 586 (1965).
Popper, K. R., Fed. Proc., 22, 661 (1963).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BIRCH, L., EHRLICH, P. Evolutionary History and Population Biology. Nature 214, 349–352 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/214349a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/214349a0
This article is cited by
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
