Question

May you please explain the answers to the following question with support from concepts?

This course is called “Ecology and Evolution”. How does ecology drive evolution? How does evolution influence ecology?

What is a scientific theory? How are quantitative models used to advance scientific theory? Pick either the HW law or the exponential growth equation and explain how variations of the model have been used to advance evolutionary and/or ecological theory.

Evaluate “survival of the fittest” as a definition of natural selection and biological evolution. Why is this an unsatisfactory definition?

Various concepts have been proposed for things such as populations, species, niches, and communities. Why are these sorts of questions ultimately philosophical (esp. metaphysical) rather than biological? In formulating your response, use (at least) one of the above concepts as an example.

Evaluate “accumulated history” as a definition of biological evolution. How does this definition compare to other definitions that were presented in the course? In your response, be sure to incorporate some discussion of the concept of exaptation, as well as the importance of historical contingency in micro and macroevolution.

Answer 1

Ecology is the interrelationship between the organisms and their environment whereas evolution is the genetic changes accumulated over time that gives rise to various species over time. For example, in desert ecology, there is a very small amount of water. new species that are capable of growing network mat of fine roots near the soil surface are more successful than the deep-rooted plants as the former is capable of capturing the water that occasionally falls in the area. Hence all those shallow-rooted plants would evolve with new genetic makeup over time.

A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment.

Quantitative models are deductive. They are based on Objectivism.  Three main types of models are physical, mathematical, and conceptual. These sometimes individually or sometimes together help to formulate scientific theories.  

The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can be disturbed by a number of forces, including mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, genetic drift, and gene flow. For example, mutations disrupt the equilibrium of allele frequencies by introducing new alleles into a population. Because all of these disruptive forces commonly occur in nature, the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium rarely applies in reality. Thus it is an ideal state. Varying conditions in HW equilibrium may help in the advancement if the ecological theory.

"Survival of the fittest" is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. This explains that individual who is fit will survive and give rise to other individuals through reproduction. According to Darwinians, it is not that the fittest always survive but that, on average, the more fit (or the fittest) are more successful in survival and reproduction than the less fit (or unfit).