Introduction. Methods in Ecosystem Science: Progress, Tradeoffs, and Limitations

Abstract

Ecosystem science is a relatively young field of ecology dealing with all of the organisms in an area and their relationships with the physical environment (Odum 1959). It includes plants, animals, and microorganisms, and studies the interactions among them and with the soil, water, and the atmosphere. In pursuing general patterns at the ecosystem level, and when trying to understand the mechanisms controlling these patterns, ecosystem scientists study the flow of energy and the cycling of material, including water and elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The rapid growth in ecosystem science during the last 20 years partially resulted from its unique relationship to other disciplines. Ecosystem science has articulated the role of organisms with the physical environment and emphasized the feedback of human activities with the atmosphere, rivers, and open oceans. The demands of global change research and earth-system studies are only likely to increase the importance of ecosystem studies in the future.