Poor hypotheses and research waste in biology: learning from a theory crisis in psychology

Published: May 27, 2024

While psychologists have extensively discussed a ‘theory crisis’, there has been no debate about such crisis in biology. However, biologists, especially those working the fields of ecology and evolution, long communication failures between theoreticians empiricists. We argue failure is one aspect theory because misapplied misunderstood theories lead to poor hypotheses research waste. review solutions for crisis, comparing them with methodology-focused proposed replication crisis. One neglected solution deserving further attention concerns systematic mapping theoretical models. conclude by discussing how promoting inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility (IDEA) biology could contribute ameliorating breakdowns theory-empirical cycle

Language: Английский

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Modeling endosymbioses: Insights and hypotheses from theoretical approaches

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 22(4), P. e3002583 - e3002583

Published: April 10, 2024

Endosymbiotic relationships are pervasive across diverse taxa of life, offering key avenues for eco-evolutionary dynamics. Although a variety experimental and empirical frameworks have shed light on critical aspects endosymbiosis, theoretical (mathematical models) especially well-suited certain tasks. Mathematical models can integrate multiple factors to determine the net outcome endosymbiotic relationships, identify broad patterns that connect endosymbioses with other systems, simplify biological complexity, generate hypotheses underlying mechanisms, evaluate different hypotheses, constraints limit interactions, open new lines inquiry. This Essay highlights utility mathematical in endosymbiosis research, particularly generating relevant hypotheses. Despite their limitations, be used address known unknowns discover unknown unknowns.

Language: Английский

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Aligning spatial ecological theory with the study of clonal organisms: the case of fungal coexistence

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 99(6), P. 2211 - 2233

Published: July 29, 2024

ABSTRACT Established ecological theory has focused on unitary organisms, and thus its concepts have matured into a form that often hinders rather than facilitates the study of modular organisms. Here, we use example filamentous fungi to develop enable integration non‐unitary (modular) organisms established community ecology theory, with particular focus spatial aspects. In doing so, provide link between fungal modern coexistence (MCT). We first show how processes predictions made by MCT can be used define meaningful scales in ecology. This leads novel concept unit interactions (UCI), promising conceptual tool for applying communities indeterminate clonal growth hierarchical individuality. outline plausible mechanisms structuring communities, at what habitats they are most likely act. end describing challenges opportunities empirical theoretical research competitive coexistence.

Language: Английский

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Expanding theory, methodology and empirical systems at the spatial–social interface

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 379(1912)

Published: Sept. 4, 2024

All animals exhibit some combination of spatial and social behaviours. A diversity interactions occurs between such behaviours, producing emergent phenomena at the spatial–social interface . Untangling interrogating these complex, intertwined processes can be vital for identifying mechanisms, causes consequences behavioural variation in animal ecology. Nevertheless, integrated study phenotypes environments (at interface) is its relative infancy. In this theme issue, we present a collection papers chosen to expand along several theoretical, methodological empirical dimensions. They detail new perspectives, methods, systems more, as well offering roadmaps applied outputs detailing exciting directions field move future. Introduction, outline contents papers, placing them context what comes before, synthesize number takeaways future interface. This article part issue ‘The interface: theoretical integration’.

Language: Английский

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MacArthur’s consumer-resource model: a 'Rosetta Stone' for competitive interactions

The American Naturalist, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 000 - 000

Published: Oct. 11, 2024

AbstractRecent developments in competition theory-namely, modern coexistence theory (MCT)-have aided empiricists formulating tests of species persistence, coexistence, and evolution from simple to complex community settings. However, the parameters used predict competitive outcomes, such as interaction coefficients, invasion growth rates, stabilizing differences, remain biologically opaque, making findings difficult generalize across ecological This article is structured around five goals toward clarifying MCT by first a case for modern-day utility MacArthur's consumer-resource model, model with surprising complexity depth: (i) describe uniquely accessible language, deciphering mathematics cultivating deeper biological intuition about competition's inner workings regardless what empirical toolkit one uses; (ii) provide translation between mechanisms MCT; (iii) make explicit important but understated assumptions plain terms; (iv) recommendations; (v) examine how key concepts (e.g., r/K-selection) can be understood renewed clarity through lens. We end highlighting opportunities explore tandem compare translate results currencies more unified science.

Language: Английский

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