ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the ecosystem concept through its methodology, and discusses various criticisms of the theoretical concept. It also examines the application of the ecosystem concept to multidisciplinary projects. The ecosystem concept is a complex and multifaceted idea which focuses on groups of biological entities and organizes them into a systems framework. The ecosystem receives the elements from precipitation of water, from the atmosphere, and from the substrate, takes them up in specific proportions and then gives them up again as the nutrients pass out of the biota through the course of metabolism or when death occurs. An ecosystem may be made up of literally thousands of populations of plants, animals, and microorganisms and millions of individuals. The allocation of natural resources is a familiar ecological problem and ecosystem concepts can be useful in resource management. The ecosystem approach has also been used extensively in planning and decision making.
