Coghenour argued that the ability of grasses to withstand grazing may thus be an exaptation of a characteristic evolved for another purpose. Methods for studying ecological-genetic specialization and coevolution. Multiple working hypotheses are a must when examining ecological-genetic systems. Researchers should use the background that they have with the system to propose alternative hypotheses to account for their observations. Each hypothesis can then make predictions that can be tested in several ways.
Observations are sometimes all that is needed to support or refute an hypothesis.
For instance, you might propose that bumblebees are either pollinators or nectar robbers. Observations could indicate which of these hypotheses are supported. The comparative method tests evolutionary hypotheses by examining evidence from related organisms and comparing this to patterns suggested by the hypotheses. Basically, researchers look for concordance between phylogeny and ecology to test predictions of hypotheses. Experimentation involves the systematic imposition of a specific set of treatments in order to determine cause and effect relationships.