Scale and
Knowledge Systems

Understanding the life history and habitat requirements of a single species of interest represents a key step in the development of biological conservation efforts. Yet questions regarding single species must often be asked in the larger context of the ecosystem of which they are a part. Although obtaining a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem behavior represents a daunting technological and theoretical challenge, practitioners around the globe are using the identification of key ecosystem processes, functions, and relationships to provided knowledge that is critical to supporting ongoing ecosystem-based conservation efforts. Biological Conservation’s integrated approach toward resource management and experience conducting ecological work in a diverse suite of systems encourages development of conservation strategies that consider the system-wide implications of management actions, particularly how they may drive changes in the integrity and resilience of local ecosystems and the human communities they support.