 |
 |
||
|
|
|||
| |
|||
The circular definition of populations and its implication for biological sampling.TD Harwood (2009)Molecular Ecology 18 (5) March 2009 pp 765-768. |
 Theoretically nonexistent? |
   |
|
AbstractApplication of population-based theoretical models to the study of real world populations requires the relationship between the real and theoretical populations to be defined. Otherwise, it is not possible to take a representative field sample or census of a population. I demonstrate that the concept of a biological population is based on a circular definition and is logically untenable. A population is composed of a number of individuals whose membership of the population is determined by their relationship to the rest of the population. This has serious implications for common practice in a range of ecological and evolutionary disciplines. Full article here. |
|||
|
|
|||