Lack of quantitative training among early-career ecologists: a survey of the problem and potential solutions

被引：32

作者：

Barraquand, Frederic ^{[1
]}

Ezard, Thomas H. G. ^{[2
]}

Jorgensen, Peter S. ^{[3
]}

Zimmerman, Naupaka ^{[4
]}

Chamberlain, Scott ^{[5
]}

Salguero-Gomez, Roberto ^{[6
,7
]}

Curran, Timothy J. ^{[8
]}

Poisot, Timothee ^{[9
,10
]}

机构：

[1] Univ Tromso, Dept Arctic & Marine Biol, Tromso, Norway

[2] Univ Southampton, Ctr Biol Sci, Southampton, Hants, England

[3] Univ Copenhagen, Ctr Macroecol Evolut & Climate, Copenhagen, Denmark

[4] Stanford Univ, Dept Biol, Stanford, CA 94305 USA

[5] Simon Fraser Univ, Dept Biol, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada

[6] Max Planck Inst Demog Res, Evolutionary Biodemog Lab, Rostock, Germany

[7] Univ Queensland, Ctr Biodivers & Conservat Sci, Sch Biol Sci, Brisbane, Qld, Australia

[8] Lincoln Univ, Dept Ecol, Canterbury, New Zealand

[9] Univ Quebec, Dept Biol Chim & Geog, Rimouski, PQ G5L 3A1, Canada

[10] McGill Univ, Quebec Ctr Biodivers Sci, Montreal, PQ H3A 2T5, Canada

来源：

PEERJ | 2014年 / 2卷

关键词：

Education; Statistics; Mathematics; Ecology student; Teaching; University curriculum; Student; EDUCATION; SCIENCE; MODELS;

D O I：

10.7717/peerj.285

中图分类号：

O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];

学科分类号：

07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;

摘要：

Proficiency in mathematics and statistics is essential to modern ecological science, yet few studies have assessed the level of quantitative training received by ecologists. To do so, we conducted an online survey. The 937 respondents were mostly early-career scientists who studied biology as undergraduates. We found a clear self-perceived lack of quantitative training: 75% were not satisfied with their understanding of mathematical models; 75% felt that the level of mathematics was "too low" in their ecology classes; 90% wanted more mathematics classes for ecologists; and 95% more statistics classes. Respondents thought that 30% of classes in ecology-related degrees should be focused on quantitative disciplines, which is likely higher than for most existing programs. The main suggestion to improve quantitative training was to relate theoretical and statistical modeling to applied ecological problems. Improving quantitative training require dedicated, quantitative classes for ecology-related degrees that contain good mathematical and statistical practice.

引用

页码：1 / 14

页数：14

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