Ecological science and sustainability for the 21st century

Margaret A. Palmer; Emily S. Bernhardt; Elizabeth A. Chornesky; Scott L. Collins; Andrew P. Dobson; Clifford S. Duke; Barry D. Gold; Robert B. Jacobson; Sharon E. Kingsland; Rhonda H. Kranz; Michael J. Mappin; M. Luisa Martinez; Fiorenza Micheli; Jennifer L. Morse; Michael L. Pace; Mercedes Pascual; Stephen S. Palumbi; O. J. Reichman; Alan R. Townsend; Monica G. Turner

doi:10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0004:esasft]2.0.co;2

Ecological science and sustainability for the 21st century

Margaret A. Palmer, Emily S. Bernhardt, Elizabeth A. Chornesky, Scott L. Collins, Andrew P. Dobson, Clifford S. Duke, Barry D. Gold, Robert B. Jacobson, Sharon E. Kingsland, Rhonda H. Kranz, Michael J. Mappin, M. Luisa Martinez, Fiorenza Micheli, Jennifer L. Morse, Michael L. Pace, Mercedes Pascual, Stephen S. Palumbi, O. J. Reichman, Alan R. Townsend, Monica G. Turner

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

118 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ecological science has contributed greatly to our understanding of the natural world and the impact of humans on that world. Now, we need to refocus the discipline towards research that ensures a future in which natural systems and the humans they include coexist on a more sustainable planet. Acknowledging that managed ecosystems and intensive exploitation of resources define our future, ecologists must play a greatly expanded role in communicating their research and influencing policy and decisions that affect the environment. To accomplish this, they will have to forge partnerships at scales and in forms they have not traditionally used. These alliances must act within three visionary areas: enhancing the extent to which decisions are ecologically informed; advancing innovative ecological research directed at the sustainability of the planet; and stimulating cultural changes within the science itself, thereby building a forward-looking and international ecology. We recommend: (1) a research initiative to enhance research project development, facilitate large-scale experiments and data collection, and link science to solutions; (2) procedures that will improve interactions among researchers, managers, and decision makers; and (3) efforts to build public understanding of the links between ecosystem services and humans.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	4-11
Number of pages	8
Journal	Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Volume	3
Issue number	1 SPEC. ISS.
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0004:esasft]2.0.co;2
State	Published - Feb 2005
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Ecology

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10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0004:esasft]2.0.co;2

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Palmer, M. A., Bernhardt, E. S., Chornesky, E. A., Collins, S. L., Dobson, A. P., Duke, C. S., Gold, B. D., Jacobson, R. B., Kingsland, S. E., Kranz, R. H., Mappin, M. J., Martinez, M. L., Micheli, F., Morse, J. L., Pace, M. L., Pascual, M., Palumbi, S. S., Reichman, O. J., Townsend, A. R., & Turner, M. G. (2005). Ecological science and sustainability for the 21st century. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 3(1 SPEC. ISS.), 4-11. https://doi.org/10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0004:esasft]2.0.co;2

Palmer, MA, Bernhardt, ES, Chornesky, EA, Collins, SL, Dobson, AP, Duke, CS, Gold, BD, Jacobson, RB, Kingsland, SE, Kranz, RH, Mappin, MJ, Martinez, ML, Micheli, F, Morse, JL, Pace, ML, Pascual, M, Palumbi, SS, Reichman, OJ, Townsend, AR & Turner, MG 2005, 'Ecological science and sustainability for the 21st century', Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, vol. 3, no. 1 SPEC. ISS., pp. 4-11. https://doi.org/10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0004:esasft]2.0.co;2

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AU - Turner, Monica G.

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Ecological science and sustainability for the 21st century

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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