Dynamics at the interface of ecology and evolution

Adaptive evolution is ecology in action (Krebs 1985). Selection pressures in natural systems, therefore, cannot be understood without accounting for the often complex demography, ecology, and ecosystem embedding of populations. Conversely, predicting changes in natural systems exposed to strong anthropogenic impacts requires accounting for the prospect of rapid contemporary evolution. This presentation provides an overview of some modeling approaches linking ecological and evolutionary dynamics, ranging from evolutionary games, adaptive dynamics, and reaction-diffusion systems to individual-based multi-locus genetics and eco-genetic modeling. Different research questions are best addressed by different models, underscoring the need for methodological pluralism in ecology and evolution.

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