Conveying the intellectual challenge of ecology: An historical perspective

The roots of ecology are historically extremely diverse, with contributions from many fields of science. A sampling of ways of thinking ecologically, ranging from the early 19th to the early 20th century, reveals the richness of ecological science. By examining historical examples from biogeography, natural history, the science of energy, and biomedical sciences, we can appreciate the many different contexts in which ecological thinking has evolved, whether as part of larger projects to systematize and unify knowledge of the world, or in response to particular problems that were solved by taking a fresh approach. It is important, when educating students and the public, to convey this diversity of ecological thought and the nature of ecology as an integrative discipline.