Networks in ecology

Recently, ecology has shown a strong interest in network theory. The question, as with any other emerging field, is to what extent we are making real progress in understanding ecological and evolutionary processes or just telling the same stories with fancy new words. I first present a biased overview of the development of network theory, focusing on its search for common patterns across seemingly different systems. I then proceed by discussing some applications of network theory in ecology, namely, species interactions, spatial ecology, epidemiology, and evolution in social groups. Finally, I suggest important contributions of the network approach such as identifying the consequences of heterogeneity for population and community dynamics, potential pitfalls, and future directions. (C) 2007 Geselischaft fur Okologie. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.