From Energetics to Ecosystems: The Dynamics and Structure of Ecological Systems

From the reviews:

"The book presents a baker’s dozen of chapters by an impressive list of researchers in the field. … most papers revolve around mathematical analyses of complex systems, emphasizing generalities all the while ensuring relevance to the field. … In addition to making valuable contributions to research, therefore, the book also could serve as a text for graduate students in ecology wishing to bolster their background in theory." (P. A. Rossignol, Environmental Biology of Fishes, Vol. 83, 2008)

Ecosystems ultimately our sole life support, are complex and enigmatic entities. Researchers use a number of strategies that vary in both approach and scale in order to understand these systems well enough to predict their behaviour in the face of perturbations. This book, in a sense, is representative of some of the developments that unfold when math and physics meet ecology. Here, some of the world s leading ecologists examine ecosystems from theoretical, experimental, and empirical viewpoints. The book begins by simplifying and synthesizing nature s complex relationships. It then moves on to explore the mapping between food web structure and function and ends with the role of theory in integrating different research areas. From the breadth of systems analyzed to the rigor of approaches taken, this book is a useful resource for students and researchers in ecology that also serves as a fitting tribute to the life and work of Peter Yodzis.