Ecological Self-Identity

Clive G. Jones
Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Determining whether an ecosystem, a community or any other ecological unit of interest has completely changed, whether it has been destroyed or whether it remains "the same" is a common task for ecologists and managers. At the heart of this task is the question of what constitutes the identity of an ecological unit through time — self-identity. The determination of self-identity requires that we know what the "essence" of an ecological unit is, and the answer is highly dependent on how we define and specify the ecological unit of interest. Dr. Jones and collaborators have developed a framework to provide unambiguous definitions of ecological units. The components of this framework are different criteria describing the spatial or process-based boundaries of a unit, the degree of required internal relationship and the level of abstraction at which an ecological unit is specified. These criteria can be used in a graphical model that represents the definitions of ecological units. The model can then be used to see if an ecological unit has changed. The scientists are continuing to develop this model to help ecologists and managers decide whether or not a system of interest has changed and how it has changed.

Collaborators
Prof. Kurt Jax, Institut für Ökologie, Universität Jena, Germany
Dr. Steward Pickett, IES

Publication
Jax, K., Jones, C. G., and Pickett, S. T. A. 1998. The self-identity of ecological units. Oikos 82: 253-264.

An Overview of Self-Identity
Grimm, V. 1998. To be, or not to be essentially the same: the 'self-identity of ecological units'. Trends Ecol. Evoln. 13: 298-299.

More on Ecological Theory
Pickett, S.T.A., Kolasa, J. and Jones, C.G. 1994. Ecological Understanding: The Nature of Theory and The Theory of Nature. Academic Press, San Diego.