The evolutionary community concept is fully armed and operational: a reply to Sagoff

Abstract

In 2017 we published a paper in this journal proposing a philosophical framework for recognizing ecological communities as natural entities, the Evolutionary Community Concept (ECC). That paper attracted a lengthy reply; herein we take the opportunity to clarify critical aspects of the ECC and use a case study (the longleaf pine forest) to demonstrate how the ECC can be made operational. We maintain the ECC provides a framework useful for establishing objectives associated with ongoing and proposed restoration and conservation efforts.