Biodiversity is monophyletic: life started with a single species. The increase in bio-complexity occurred by an evolutionary process that went through many patterns of diversification and that is still running. The function of biodiversity is not teleological (e.g. make a proper world for us, or make ecosystems function), ecosystems functioned also at very low diversity at the dawn of life. Ecology is strictly linked with evolution and both are historical disciplines that involve non-linear systems with a clear chaotic development, with the co-existence of strong constraints (in both form and function) and powerful contingencies (like those that caused the mass extinctions of the past). Historical predictions can only be weak, and can be formulated only when trends are identified (i. e., attractors of chaotic systems). Modern ecology discarded natural history, setting quantitative goals that forced it to remove quality from its vision of complexity. This attitude led to enormous conceptual advances that are starting to show their limits. The identification of trends, set by constraints/attractors, and of deviations from them, due to contingencies, is an ambitious and practicable goal for mature ecology.
From biodiversity and ecosystem functioning to the roots of ecological complexity
FANELLI G;RUBINO F;
2004
Abstract
Biodiversity is monophyletic: life started with a single species. The increase in bio-complexity occurred by an evolutionary process that went through many patterns of diversification and that is still running. The function of biodiversity is not teleological (e.g. make a proper world for us, or make ecosystems function), ecosystems functioned also at very low diversity at the dawn of life. Ecology is strictly linked with evolution and both are historical disciplines that involve non-linear systems with a clear chaotic development, with the co-existence of strong constraints (in both form and function) and powerful contingencies (like those that caused the mass extinctions of the past). Historical predictions can only be weak, and can be formulated only when trends are identified (i. e., attractors of chaotic systems). Modern ecology discarded natural history, setting quantitative goals that forced it to remove quality from its vision of complexity. This attitude led to enormous conceptual advances that are starting to show their limits. The identification of trends, set by constraints/attractors, and of deviations from them, due to contingencies, is an ambitious and practicable goal for mature ecology.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
