User:Madeline Geffert/sandbox

== Article Evaluation == Article being evaluated: Evolutionary ecology
 * In the section "Evolutionary Models" there is only one referenced model relevant to the topic. The content on this page is accurate, but very limited.
 * There is an image captioned "A phylogenetic tree of living things". While the image has an opportunity to be relevant for the article, it is not explained at all.
 * In the section that shows notable ecologists, only their names are presented. No information about their theories or their relevancy are present.
 * In general, the content is poorly explained and lacks crucial detail.
 * It appears that the article is unbiased and isn't very opinionated.
 * One of the links no longer exists, and no measures have been taken to update the content to reflect the change. All other links are relevant to the site.
 * There are very limited sources, however the ones that are provided are come from notable ecology textbooks. The other two sources both come from Oxford University case studies. While these sources are credible, they are limited.
 * The oldest reference is from 2000, however I don't consider it (or any other source) to be outdated, considering they were mostly referencing historical data and information.
 * There are a few points of discussion in the talk section. The comment that represents a majority of the conversation was: "Needs to get a grip on what aspects of evolutionary theory are really central to ecology. " Clearly, the wikipedia community believes this page has room for improvement.
 * Information about rating: Stub-Class, meaning it is very limited and poor quality. It also is rated as mid-importance.
 * This wikipedia article has a lot of room for improvement. Primarily, it needs to focus on the key points of the topic and explain how they are relevant, discuss the notable ecologists in more detail, provide accurate data and sources, and include more relevant descriptions.

Week 3: Add to an Article

 * I added a citation to the article Evolutionary ecology in the "Evolutionary Models" section.
 * The sentence cited was; "A large part of Evolutionary ecology is about utilizing models and finding empirical data as proof."
 * Here is the citation:
 * Morozov, Andrew (2013-12-06). "Modelling biological evolution: recent progress, current challenges and future direction". Interface Focus. 3 (6). ISSN 2042-8898. PMC 3915852 . doi:10.1098/rsfs.2013.0054.

Article Contributions
In the article Evolutionary Ecology, I will be providing information about each of the scientists that have made major contributions to this field, and what their principles consist of.

Charles Darwin
The basis of the central principles of evolutionary ecology can be attributed to Charles Darwin, specifically in referencing his theory of natural selection and population dynamics, which discusses how populations of a species change over time. According to Ernst Mayr, professor of Zoology at Harvard University, Darwin’s most distinct contributions to evolutionary biology and ecology are as follows: “The first is the non-constancy of species, or the modern conception of evolution itself. The second is the notion of branching evolution, implying the common descent of all species of living things on earth from a single unique origin.” Additionally, “Darwin further noted that evolution must be gradual, with no major breaks or discontinuities. Finally, he reasoned that the mechanism of evolution was natural selection.”

George Evelyn Hutchinson
George Evelyn Hutchinson’s contributions to the field of ecology spanned over 60 years, in which he had significant influence in systems ecology, radiation ecology, limnology, and entomology. Described as the “father of modern ecology” by Stephen Jay Gould, Hutchinson was one of the first scientists to link the subjects of ecology and mathematics. According to Hutchinson, he constructed “mathematical models of populations, the changing proportions of individuals of various ages, birthrate, the ecological niche, and population interaction in this technical introduction to population ecology.” He also had a vast interest in limnology, due to his belief that lakes could be studied as a microcosm that provides insight into system behavior. Hutchinson is also known for his work Circular Casual Systems in Ecology, in which he states that “groups of organisms may be acted upon by their environment, and they may react upon it. If a set of properties in either system changes in such a way that the action of the first system on the second changes, this may cause changes in properties of the second system which alter the mode of action of the second system on the first.”

Robert MacArthur
Robert MacArthur is best known in the field of Evolutionary Ecology for his work The Theory of Island Biogeography, in which he and his co-author propose “that the number of species on any island reflects a balance between the rate at which new species colonize it and the rate at which populations of established species become extinct.”

Eric Pianka
According to the University of Texas, Eric Pianka’s work in Evolutionary Ecology includes Foraging Strategies, Reproductive Tactics, Competition and Niche Theory, Community Structure and Organization, Species Diversity, and Understanding Rarity. Pianka is also known for his interest in lizards to study ecological occurrences, as he claimed they were “often abundant, making them relatively easy to locate, observe, and capture.”

Michael Rosenzweig
Michael L. Rosenzweig created and popularized Reconciliation ecology, which began with his theory that designated nature preserves would not be enough land to conserve the biodiversity of Earth, as humans have used so much land that they have negatively impacted biogeochemical cycles and had other ecological impacts that have negatively affected species compositions.

Other Notable Evolutionary Ecologists
David Lack

Stephen Jay Gould

R. A. Fisher

Thierry Lodé[

Peer Review - Marcescence Article
I included this information in Marcescence talk page.