What plant ecologists can learn from zoology

Abstract

Biology, like all sciences, is increasingly compartmentalized. This helps us to interact more easily with fellow specialists, but also tends to shield us from useful cross-fertilization with other fields. For example, plant and animal ecologists have established largely distinct research traditions over the years. Botanists studying population ecology, interspecific competition, and ecological and evolutionary aspects of sexual reproduction can benefit by importing more of the conceptual advances occurring in zoology (and vice versa). Botanists working on plant-animal interactions have a similar opportunity to shed light on their questions by learning more about the animals. For example, botanists studying pollination may be unaware of some modern advances in animal physiology and behaviour which undermine a typological view of pollination systems. Similarly, botanists studying loss of seeds to granivores may be unaware of details of animal behaviour that can cause granivores to benefit the plants in surprising ways. These examples illustrate how improved communication with zoology can enrich plant ecology. To remove barriers to communication we suggest some individual and collective actions that plant ecologists can take.