Interpreting Ecological Data: Exercises for Undergraduates

With over 70 exercises containing more than 270 questions, Interpreting Ecological Data allows students to apply ecological theory learned in classes to new, ‘real’ data from the scientific literature. Rather than simply rote learning word-perfect answers, they are empowered to apply their knowledge and develop critical thinking skills: core attributes for science undergraduates. The book covers ecological principles such as predation, competition, mutualism, food-webs and biogeochemical cycling. With numerous examples on each theme, students can gain plenty of practice across a wide range of topics, providing a solid foundation for their ecological knowledge and developing transferable skills in data interpretation. Almost all the exercises use ‘real’ data from published papers, sometimes messy and not always supporting the hypotheses they were designed to investigate – just like in real life! The answers are all included in the final chapter, with detailed explanations where relevant. The exercises can also be used for assessment, enabling students to demonstrate their understanding, and lecturers can quickly convert them for use in lectures, workshops or assessments. Most importantly, Interpreting Ecological Data aims to stimulate student enthusiasm for ecology and what researchers actually do, starting an unexpected and exciting new journey.