The mystery of the flying fox populations

In the 1920s the population of the grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in Australia was estimated to be many millions (Figure 2.1). Their exodus from a camp was an awesome spectacle. By 2000 they had declined dramatically, with a 30% fall in numbers over just the previous 10 years. At the same time, however, flying foxes increased in number in some urban areas. They have long been considered a nuisance in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, and at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne their number increased sharply from perhaps a dozen animals in 1986 to over 20000 in 2006. What has allowed this species to increase in number so dramatically in the urban environment, especially when populations elsewhere are declining? This question can be answered by applying scientific method.

Chapter aims

In this chapter, you will learn the basics of scientific method and how its application identifies and addresses environmental problems.

How does science work?

At one level, science progresses because of new technology. For example, telescopes make it possible for astronomers to discover new stars, cyclotrons allow physicists to probe the structure of matter and gene sequencers enable biologists to identify hereditary codes. Of course, scientists design these tools, guided by the questions they want to answer. The philosophy of science helps to identify these questions and provides the framework for answering them, but this has changed dramatically over the last 200 years.