Successes, Limitations, and Frontiers in Ecosystem Science

As a central and integrating science, ecosystem-level studies have been highly successful. This book emphasizes the idea that much of the progress in ecosystem research has been driven by the emergence of new environmental problems that could not be addressed by existing science, by focusing on successes, limitations, and frontiers in ecosystem studies. It will be welcomed by students and scientists throughout the ecological and environmental communities.

Research on the ecosystems has emerged in recent decades as a vital, successful, and sometimes controversial approach to environmental science. Ecosystem science has addressed issues such as human alteration of biogeochemical cycles, ecological complexity and biodiversity, and ecological response to climate change. As a central and integrating science, ecosystem-level studies have been highly successful. This book emphasizes the idea that much of the progress in ecosystem research has been driven by the emergence of new environmental problems that could not be addressed by existing approaches. By focusing on successes, limitations, and frontiers in ecosystem studies, it will be welcomed by students and scientists throughout the ecological and environmental communities.

As a central and integrating science, ecosystem-level studies have been highly successful. This book emphasizes the idea that much of the progress in ecosystem research has been driven by the emergence of new environmental problems that could not be addressed by existing science, by focusing on successes, limitations, and frontiers in ecosystem studies. It will be welcomed by students and scientists throughout the ecological and environmental communities.

1 Needs and Concerns in Ecosystem Science.- 2 Cultural Eutrophication of Inland, Estuarine, and Coastal Waters.- 3 Managing Forests as Ecosystems: A Success Story or a Challenge Ahead?.- 4 Wastelands to Wetlands: Links Between Habitat Protection and Ecosystem Science.- 5 Riparian Forest Ecosystems as Filters for Nonpoint-Source Pollution.- 6 Ecological Research in Agricultural Ecosystems: Contributions to Ecosystem Science and to the Management of Agronomic Resources.- 7 Progress in Understanding Biogeochemical Cycles at Regional to Global Scales.- 8 Acid Deposition Research and Ecosystem Science: Synergistic Successes.- 9 Empirical and Theoretical Ecology as a Basis for Restoration: An Ecological Success Story.- 10 Limitations to Intellectual Progress in Ecosystem Science.- 11 Improving Links Between Ecosystem Scientists and Managers.- 12 The Need for Large-Scale Experiments to Assess and Predict the Response of Ecosystems to Perturbation.- 13 Ecosystem Approaches to the Management and Allocation of Critical Resources.- 14 Ecosystems and Problems of Measurement at Large Spatial Scales.- 15 Integration of Ecophysiological and Biogeochemical Approaches to Ecosystem Dynamics.- 16 Simulation Modeling in Ecosystem Science.- 17 Understanding Effects of Multiple Stressors: Ideas and Challenges.- 18 Within-System Element Cycles, Input-Output Budgets, and Nutrient Limitation.- 19 Species Composition, Species Diversity, and Ecosystem Processes: Understanding the Impacts of Global Change.- 20 Synthesis: What Kind of a Discipline Is This Anyhow?.