"Ecology, Evolution, and Ontology of Elevational Ranges" by Ethan Linck

The elevational distributions of organisms have long fascinated scientists, an interest that has burgeoned with expectations of upslope movement of species in response to climate warming. Yet tests of this hypothesis have produced conflicting results, perhaps due to varied approaches and assumptions. In this lecture I will explore the historical roots of the concept of the elevational range in ecology and evolutionary biology, highlighting how it has been treated as both a byproduct of other phenome- na and an object of study in its own right. I will then argue that this divide has created
ontological and statistical issues for the field, and suggest areas for improvement.
Ethan Linck is a biologist and writer with broad interests in population genetics, evolutionary ecology, and conservation. An Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology at Montana
State University, he holds a Ph.D. from University of Washington and a B.A. from Reed College.
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