Note: Front cover -- A New Ecology: Systems Perspective -- Copyright page -- Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1. Introduction: A New Ecology is Needed -- 1.1 Environmental Management has Changed -- 1.2 Ecology is Changing -- 1.3 Book Outline -- Chapter 2. Ecosystems have Openness (thermodynamic) -- 2.1 Why must Ecosystems be open? -- 2.2 An Isolated System would die (Maximum Entropy) -- 2.3 Physical Openness -- 2.4 The Second Law of Thermodynamics Interpreted for Open Systems -- 2.5 Dissipative Structure -- 2.6 Quantification of Openness and Allometric Principles -- 2.7 The Cell -- 2.8 What about the Environment? -- 2.9 Conclusion -- Chapter 3. Ecosystems have Ontic Openness -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Why is Ontic Openness so Obscure? -- 3.3 Ontic Openness and the Physical World -- 3.4 Ontic Openness and Relative Stability -- 3.5 The Macroscopic Openness: Connections to Thermodynamics -- 3.6 Ontic Openness and Emergence -- 3.7 Ontic Openness and Hierarchies -- 3.8 Consequences of Ontic Openness: A Tentative Conclusion -- Chapter 4. Ecosystems have Directionality -- 4.1 Since the Beginnings of Ecology -- 4.2 The Challenge from Thermodynamics -- 4.3 Deconstructing Directionality? -- 4.4 Agencies Imparting Directionality -- 4.5 Origins of Evolutionary Drive -- 4.6 Quantifying Directionality in Ecosystems -- 4.7 Demystifying Darwin -- 4.8 Directionality in Evolution? -- 4.9 Summary -- Chapter 5. Ecosystems have Connectivity -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Ecosystems as Networks -- 5.3 Food Webs -- 5.4 Systems Analysis -- 5.5 Ecosystem Connectivity and Ecological Network Analysis -- 5.6 Network Environ Analysis Primer -- 5.7 Summary of the Major Insights Cardinal Hypotheses (CH) from Network Environ Analysis -- 5.8 Conclusions -- Chapter 6. Ecosystems have Complex Dynamics (Growth and Development) -- 6.1 Variability in Life Conditions -- 6.2 Ecosystem Development. , 6.3 Orientors and Succession Theories -- 6.4 The Maximum Power Principle -- 6.5 Exergy, Ascendency, Gradients, and Ecosystem Development -- 6.6 Support for the Presented Hypotheses -- 6.7 Toward a Consistent Ecosystem Theory -- 6.8 Exergy Balances for the Utilization of Solar Radiation -- 6.9 Summary and Conclusions -- Chapter 7. Ecosystems have Complex Dynamics - Disturbance and Decay -- 7.1 The Normality of Disturbance -- 7.2 The Risk of Orientor Optimization -- 7.3 The Characteristics of Disturbance -- 7.4 Adaptability as a Key Function of Ecosystem Dynamics -- 7.5 Adaptive Cycles on Multiple Scales -- 7.6 A Case Study: Human Disturbance and Retrogressive Dynamics -- 7.7 Summary and Conclusions -- Chapter 8. Ecosystem Principles have Broad Explanatory Power in Ecology -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: Evolutionary Theory -- 8.3 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: Island Biogeography -- 8.4 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: Latitudinal Gradients in Biodiversity -- 8.5 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: Optimal Foraging Theory -- 8.6 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: Niche Theory -- 8.7 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: Liebig's Law of the Minimum -- 8.8 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: The River Continuum Concept (RCC) -- 8.9 Do Ecological Principles Encompass other Proposed Ecological Theories?: Hysteresis in Nature -- 8.10 Conclusions -- Chapter 9. Ecosystem Principles have Applications -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Entropy Production as an Indicator of Ecosystem Trophic State. , 9.3 The use of Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) for the Simulation of the Interaction of the American Black Bear and its Environment -- 9.4 Applications of Network Analysis and Ascendency to South Florida Ecosystems -- 9.5 The Application of Eco-Exergy as Ecological Indicator for Assessment of Ecosystem Health -- 9.6 Emergy as Ecological Indicator to Assess Ecosystem Health -- 9.7 The Eco-Exergy to Empower Ratio and the Efficiency of Ecosystems -- 9.8 Application of Eco-Exergy and Ascendency as Ecological Indicator to the Mondego Estuary (Portugal) -- 9.9 Conclusions -- Chapter 10. Conclusions and Final Remarks -- 10.1 Are Basic Ecological Properties Needed to Explain our Observations? -- 10.2 Previous Attempts to Present an Ecosystem Theory -- 10.3 Recapitulation of the Ecosystem Theory -- 10.4 Are there Basic Ecosystem Principles? -- 10.5 Conclusion -- References -- Index.