What does it mean to understand an ecosystem?

The ecosystem approach holistically addresses interactions between all the living things and the physical environment in a particular place, as well as between that ecosystem and the surrounding environment.

Ecosystems might be lakes, forests, watersheds, farms or entire cities.

Knowledge from many disciplines – from biology and chemistry to social science and economics – must be brought together to understand today's ecosystems.

Ecosystems change – sometimes gradually, other times suddenly – over years, decades, centuries and more, requiring studies over long periods and large areas.

Some Basic Tenets of Ecosystem Thinking

• Every place is an ecosystem.
• Ecosystems include biological (living) and physical (non-living) components.
• Ecosystems have boundaries but are not closed.
• Ecosystems have important components that are invisible to the naked eye, such as nutrients and microbes.
• Things interact inside an ecosystem and between an ecosystem and its surroundings.
• Most interactions among ecosystems and their parts go all ways.
• All budgets must balance - nothing magically appears or disappears.
• Ecosystems provide many "services" of vital benefit to society.
• Understanding how ecosystem services work empowers us to protect and sustain them.
• People affect ecosystem services by altering ecosystem structure and functions.