The ecosystem concept and ecology
Arthur TansleyEugene OdumHoward OdumRaymond Lindeman
This page delivers no verdict; it presents claims and evidence with their sources. No theory in science is absolute. Method
For everyone
In 1935 the British botanist Arthur Tansley proposed the term "ecosystem" to treat living things and their physical surroundings as a single system. This approach made it possible to study forests, lakes and seas through energy flow and nutrient cycles. In the second half of the 20th century ecology became both a scientific discipline and a body of knowledge on which environmental policy rests.
For specialists
Tansley defined the ecosystem as a physical system, opposing Clements's view of plant communities as a "superorganism". In 1942 Lindeman showed that most energy is lost between the levels of a food chain. The Odum brothers' 1953 textbook popularised ecosystem ecology. Whether ecosystems are ordered and in balance, or in constant disturbance and change, is an ongoing debate in ecology.
Claims
Positions
- Clements (superorganism view)
- Plant communities develop like an organism and reach a definite "climax" stage.[1]
Connections
Sources
- Article (1935). The use and abuse of vegetational concepts and terms. Ecology 16(3), 284–307DOI 10.2307/1930070archive
- Book (1953). Fundamentals of Ecology. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia
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Cite this page
Athena contributors. (2026). The ecosystem concept and ecology. Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/ekosistem/
@misc{athena_ekosistem,
title = {The ecosystem concept and ecology},
author = {{Athena contributors}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/ekosistem/}},
note = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}Added: September 28, 2026 · Last changed: September 28, 2026 · Page history