Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems
Abstract Experimental research, ranging from fully-controlled laboratory experiments to semi-controlled field manipulations, enhances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying natural dynamics and species responses to global change. These approaches, many of which were first developed in aquati...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60470-5 |
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| _version_ | 1849434256688807936 |
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| author | Matthew Sasaki Jana Isanta-Navarro Lynn Govaert |
| author_facet | Matthew Sasaki Jana Isanta-Navarro Lynn Govaert |
| author_sort | Matthew Sasaki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Experimental research, ranging from fully-controlled laboratory experiments to semi-controlled field manipulations, enhances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying natural dynamics and species responses to global change. These approaches, many of which were first developed in aquatic systems, have laid the foundations for modern ecological work. In this Perspective, we discuss how aquatic experimental ecology has shaped the field of ecology and how modern experimental ecology has contributed to our understanding of ecological dynamics under changing conditions in aquatic systems. We also highlight the challenges experimental ecologists must overcome in the near future as we seek to predict and mitigate the effects of global change. We argue that many of the challenges we currently face can be overcome by embracing multidimensional ecological experiments, moving beyond classical model organisms, including environmental variability, integrating across disciplinary boundaries and using novel technologies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-43d5295a00844363bc63378bf334d839 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-43d5295a00844363bc63378bf334d8392025-08-20T03:26:43ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-06-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-60470-5Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystemsMatthew Sasaki0Jana Isanta-Navarro1Lynn Govaert2University of Massachusetts Lowell, Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen, Department of BiologyLeibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Department of Evolutionary and Integrative EcologyAbstract Experimental research, ranging from fully-controlled laboratory experiments to semi-controlled field manipulations, enhances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying natural dynamics and species responses to global change. These approaches, many of which were first developed in aquatic systems, have laid the foundations for modern ecological work. In this Perspective, we discuss how aquatic experimental ecology has shaped the field of ecology and how modern experimental ecology has contributed to our understanding of ecological dynamics under changing conditions in aquatic systems. We also highlight the challenges experimental ecologists must overcome in the near future as we seek to predict and mitigate the effects of global change. We argue that many of the challenges we currently face can be overcome by embracing multidimensional ecological experiments, moving beyond classical model organisms, including environmental variability, integrating across disciplinary boundaries and using novel technologies.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60470-5 |
| spellingShingle | Matthew Sasaki Jana Isanta-Navarro Lynn Govaert Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems Nature Communications |
| title | Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems |
| title_full | Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems |
| title_short | Experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems |
| title_sort | experimental ecology and the balance between realism and feasibility in aquatic ecosystems |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60470-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matthewsasaki experimentalecologyandthebalancebetweenrealismandfeasibilityinaquaticecosystems AT janaisantanavarro experimentalecologyandthebalancebetweenrealismandfeasibilityinaquaticecosystems AT lynngovaert experimentalecologyandthebalancebetweenrealismandfeasibilityinaquaticecosystems |