Theoretical approach in ecology: a worldview through models

Abstract

The application of the theoretical approach is driven by the proposition of different mathematical models. Currently, such models are mostly quantitative, and can be viewed as a simplified description of the mechanisms underlying the processes in focus. One goal of working with models is to produce expected theoretical scenarios that can be contrasted with empirical data. The discrepancies between the pattern generated by these models and the empirical data can be used to reject the underlying theory or refine the assumptions. In this article, I present an example of application of a theoretical approach in an area of biology, in this case ecology, and I discuss how it influenced the understanding of the empirical patterns in many scales within the area.