Sustainable Development and Ecological Research
Big idea: Sustainable development evaluates linked ecological, social and economic outcomes across time, while ecological research uses transparent questions, sampling, analysis and adaptive management to test solutions.
Learning goals
- sustainability
- trade-off analysis
- ecological hypothesis
- replication
- adaptive management
Core concepts
sustainability
Meeting present needs while maintaining ecological systems and options for future generations.
trade-off analysis
Explicit comparison of gains, costs and distributional effects among alternative decisions.
ecological hypothesis
A testable proposed explanation that links variables and predicts an observable pattern.
replication
Use of independent experimental or sampling units to estimate variation and strengthen inference.
adaptive management
A cycle of acting, monitoring, evaluating and revising management in response to evidence.