The Relevance of Ecology: The Societal Context and Disciplinary Implications of Linkages Across Levels of Ecological Organization

Abstract

Understanding the linkages between species and ecosystems is of considerable intellectual interest but also has direct relevance to the solution of many environmental problems. Studies of these linkages reflect myriad approaches, no one of which appears to offer a grand synthesis. Rather, the healthy diversity of approaches reflects the complexity of the systems and the variety of interests of investigators. New insights to be gained from linking across levels of ecological organization are urgently needed to help address a wide variety of environmental problems. However, there is a concomitant need to better incorporate what is already known about these linkages into policy and management practices. The next generation of ecologists and ecological societies must have skills, knowledge, attitudes, and structures to meet these needs.