Noisy clockwork: Time series analysis of population fluctuations in animals

Both biotic interactions and abiotic random forcing are crucial influences on population dynamics. This frequently leads to roughly equal importance o f deterministic and stochastic forces. The resulting tension between noise and determinism makes ecological dynamics unique, with conceptual and metho dological challenges distinctive from those in other dynamical systems. The theory for stochastic, nonlinear ecological dynamics has been developed al ongside methods to test models. A range of dynamical components has been co nsidered-density dependence, environmental and demographic stochasticity, a nd climatic forcing-as welt as their often complex interactions. We discuss recent advances in understanding ecological dynamics and testing theory us ing long-term data and review how dynamical forces interact to generate som e central field and laboratory time series.