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Types of Experiments and Causal Process Tracing: What Happened on the Kaibab Plateau in the 1920s?

Millstein, Roberta L. (2014) Types of Experiments and Causal Process Tracing: What Happened on the Kaibab Plateau in the 1920s? In: UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

I argue that Binkley et al. use causal process tracing in conjunction with a natural trajectory experiment and two natural snapshot experiments in their re-examination of the Kaibab. This shows that Aldo Leopold may have been right about trophic cascade in the Kaibab in the 1920s, i.e., that there are good (albeit defeasible) reasons to think that a loss of predators (together with fire suppression) led to a deer irruption which decreased aspen recruitment. Using the different cause-finding practices in combination can strengthen causal inferences and mitigate the shortcomings that each practice has.


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Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Millstein, Roberta L.rlmillstein@ucdavis.edu
Keywords: Jared Diamond, natural experiment, causal process tracing, Kaibab, Aldo Leopold, trophic cascade
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Ecology/Conservation
General Issues > Experimentation
Depositing User: Dr. Roberta L. Millstein
Date Deposited: 28 May 2015 13:21
Last Modified: 28 May 2015 13:21
Item ID: 11483
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Ecology/Conservation
General Issues > Experimentation
Date: November 2014
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11483

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