A Hierarchical Concept of Ecosystems (Paperback)

Robert V. O'Neill

ISBN 10: 0691084378 / ISBN 13: 9780691084374

Verlag: Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1986

Beschreibung

Paperback. "Ecosystem" is an intuitively appealing concept to most ecologists, but, in spite of its widespread use, the term remains diffuse and ambiguous. The authors of this book argue that previous attempts to define the concept have been derived from particular viewpoints to the exclusion of others equally possible. They offer instead a more general line of thought based on hierarchy theory. Their contribution should help to counteract the present separation of subdisciplines in ecology and to bring functional and population/community ecologists closer to a common approach. Developed as a way of understanding highly complex organized systems, hierarchy theory has at its center the idea that organization results from differences in process rates. To the authors the theory suggests an objective way of decomposing ecosystems into their component parts. The results thus obtained offer a rewarding method for integrating various schools of ecology. "Ecosystem" is an intuitively appealing concept to ecologists, but, in spite of its widespread use, the term remains diffuse and ambiguous. This book helps to counteract the separation of subdisciplines in ecology and to bring functional and population/community ecologists closer to a common approach. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 9780691084374

Bibliografische Details

• Titel: A Hierarchical Concept of Ecosystems (Paperback)
• Verlag: Princeton University Press, New Jersey
• Erscheinungsjahr: 1986
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN-10: 0691084378
• ISBN-13: 9780691084374
• Einband: Paperback
• Zustand: new

Über diesen Titel

Inhaltsangabe

Ecosystem is an intuitively appealing concept to most ecologists, but, in spite of its widespread use, the term remains diffuse and ambiguous. The authors of this book argue that previous attempts to define the concept have been derived from particular viewpoints to the exclusion of others equally possible. They offer instead a more general line of thought based on hierarchy theory. Their contribution should help to counteract the present separation of subdisciplines in ecology and to bring functional and population/community ecologists closer to a common approach. Developed as a way of understanding highly complex organized systems, hierarchy theory has at its center the idea that organization results from differences in process rates. To the authors the theory suggests an objective way of decomposing ecosystems into their component parts. The results thus obtained offer a rewarding method for integrating various schools of ecology.

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Charlotte y Peter Fiell son dos autoridades en historia, teoría y crítica del diseño y han escrito más de sesenta libros sobre la materia, muchos de los cuales se han convertido en éxitos de ventas. También han impartido conferencias y cursos como profesores invitados, han comisariado exposiciones y asesorado a fabricantes, museos, salas de subastas y grandes coleccionistas privados de todo el mundo. Los Fiell han escrito numerosos libros para TASCHEN, entre los que se incluyen 1000 Chairs, Diseño del siglo XX, El diseño industrial de la A a la Z, Scandinavian Design y Diseño del siglo XXI.