Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the book and a brief example of a causal assessment. It describes the book’s purpose: to show how scientific data and expertise can be used to reach credible, defensible conclusions about the causes of undesirable biological effects in ecological systems. Ecological causal assessments provide support for management decisions intended to solve environmental problems that adversely affect ecological systems and the biota that inhabit them. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book. The book builds on definitions and concepts about causation developed by the philosophers, scientists, and cognitive psychologists who have preceded us. Case examples of causal assessments are used throughout the book to illustrate the use of specific methods and approaches.