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Long-term studies have been crucial to the advancement of population biology, especially our understanding of population dynamics. We argue that this progress arises from three key characteristics of long-term research. First, long-term data are necessary to observe the heterogeneity that drives most population processes. Second, long-term studies often inherently lead to novel insights. Finally, long-term field studies can serve as model systems for population biology, allowing for theory and methods to be tested under well-characterized conditions. We illustrate these ideas in three long-term field systems that have made outsized contributions to our understanding of population ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. We then highlight three emerging areas to which long-term field studies are well positioned to contribute in the future: ecological forecasting, genomics, and macrosystems ecology. Overcoming the obstacles associated with maintaining long-term studies requires continued emphasis on recognizing the benefits of such studies to ensure that long-term research continues to have a substantial impact on elucidating population biology.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/fredric-janzen/72/
This is a manuscript of an article published as Reinke, Beth A., David AW Miller, and Fredric J. Janzen. "What Have Long-Term Field Studies Taught Us About Population Dynamics?." (2019).Posted with permission from the Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, Volume 50 © by Annual Reviews, http://www.annualreviews.org.