The ecosystem concept has become a standard paradigm for studying ecological systems. Underlying the ecosystem concept is a “machine analogy” derived from Systems Analysis. This analogy is difficult to reconcile with our current understanding of ecological systems as metastable adaptive systems that may operate far from equilibrium. This paper discusses some logical and scientific problems associated with the ecosystem concept, and suggests a number of modifications in the paradigm to address these problems.
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Robert V. O’Neill (2001) studied this question.
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