Question

How considering subsystems overcomes the need for this hypothesis, neither what advantage it has. It seems to me that the authors are using the complexity of the interactions between the subsystem and the rest of the system to grant credibility to the claim that the subsystem will eventually have populated the entire phase space. But why isn't this equally credible to stating the ergodic hypothesis?

Answer 1

Considering subsystems and using multiple working hypotheses overcome the need for the ergodic hypothesis in complex ecological systems.

Step-by-step explanation:

Considering subsystems overcomes the need for the ergodic hypothesis by allowing for the study of complex ecological systems that have multiple factors influencing observations. Multiple working hypotheses can be used to construct models of the system and compare them simultaneously, which is particularly applicable to conservation biology where experimental manipulation is often difficult. While these models may be more difficult to analyze, understand, and communicate compared to traditional analytical models, they provide a unique chance to detect plausible mechanisms and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the system.