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Human activities are directly related to the development of balance in the ecosystem. This triggered research to identify the relationship between these two. Subsequently, this research by David Tilman entitled Biodiversity: Population Versus Ecosystem Diversity tries to identify the relationship. To begin with, the paper tries to point out how the relationship between the climate and the total number of species within a given location. Later, they try to establish the specific relationships in relation to human activities and the climate. This paper seeks to point out the viability of this research and ascertain whether the discussions can be relied upon.
For a researcher to have a path through which he can follow in order to obtain the objectives, it is necessary that he has research questions as a guiding path. Since the paper was centered on plant species in the ecosystem, questions such as How many species are found per square meter? How is the variability of the plant species year to year in the community biomass? How is the abundance of the specific plant species in the community biomass? What is the relationship between the plant species richness and the varying weather? How do the plant species respond to the variation in the weather? What is interaction mode amongst the plants themselves? How do factors like grazing and forestry affect the natural ecosystem? What is the relationship between diversity and stability in the ecosystem? What is the rate of the plant productivity in the ecosystem? Can the rate of ecosystem process affect the plant species diversity? What is the biggest threat to the decrease in the plant species? arise the need to be included in the category. These types of questions will advance the research in that almost all areas needed to be studied will be properly covered.
The size of a sample is very important in the effort to get reliable results. In this research involving plant species, the case study has been based only in Minnesota. This makes it incapacitated in terms of replacing other regions like Africa, Asia, South America and even Europe. The possible outcomes from these continents could most likely vary from one another. Since some results may be on the extreme while some may be average, it could only be possible if a method was developed that would put all these continents in consideration. Then, a conclusion can easily be drawn by merging up the total results and calculating their average. From the keen observation of the research, it is noted that as the study was carried out in the divided plots, no plot experienced a different climate from the other. This clearly indicates that the study was not vast. Focusing on only one area of study experiencing the same climatic conditions does not produce the best results in any research work. The research paper was carried out on only four major plots: three of which were unburned and had been abandoned from row crop farming while the other was burned, more so never farmed on, just like the first three fields (Tilman, 1987, p.350). The issue of carrying out the study on farms which have never been farmed on only, of the recent past leaves behind a question of monopoly. A compliment study could be carried out on varied lands, some unfarmed while some consistently farmed on of the most recent past.
Furthermore, calculation of the total precipitation within a year is very important in the results and conclusion formation. The research conducted took care of months between 1 January and 1 August each year. Most likely an assumption was made that there was no precipitation from August to December. The result could be reliable based on the bigger part of the year subjected to research. However, this could also point out another weakness. In certain cases, precipitation may be varied apart from the known months of rain. Precipitation can be experienced in August onwards to January and it is most likely to affect plant and vegetation growth. In addition, the various years could have different levels of precipitations. Therefore, this research could have been well conducted if all months of the year could have been included and considerations given to the different years.
After the relevant research questions have been asked and the right methods/experimental designs followed, the results to be obtained are most likely to be and accurate. Results on the biomass variability as per the variation in climatic conditions, the favorable climatic conditions for various species, how species richness varies with the biomass and how species richness is related to variations in climatic changes are some of the key results that are supposed to be collected at the end of the research. One of the strengths of this research is the inclusion of minor factors in the contribution of this topic. Results collected in the paper such as effects of other variables on stability, significance because the category involves minor factors which play a role in the ecosystem. Results on the varying climatic conditions could have been collected all along the whole period of study. This means that in addition to the major factors of population and the environment, the minor factors which could also effect the environment and alter the results were also put in consideration.
In spite of the few minor weaknesses pointed out in this research, the paper was well researched and could be given credit.
References
Tilman, D. (1987). Biodiversity: Population versus Ecosystem Stability. Ecology 1996; 77(2): 350-363
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