The ecosystem approach is fundamentally different from other environmental management techniques. The term applies not to the ecosystem, but to the approach. The ecosystem approach insists upon the rigorous definition of an ecosystem by linking various
ecosystem concepts and their interactions at different scales. This method is not limited to the application of a single ecosystem model for all cases. Instead, this approach depends upon viewing the ecosystem from a range of perspectives and using different system models to capture the complete picture (Allen 1993).
One ecosystem perspective consists of abiotic and biotic components. In order to deal with this physical system, a set of boundaries need to be erected for each component. After all, the questions we ask about the biotic components will be different from those of the abiotic. Within each boundary, it then becomes clear what constitutes the parts of the system: some aspects will be identified as its structure while others will be identified as its function. This system delineation and definition constitutes an important phase of the ecosystem approach.
The ecosystem approach is unique in that it is able to incorporate not one, but a variety of system descriptions, defined through the perspectives of observation and scales of investigation. In the ecosystem approach, the effort is to achieve appropriately expansive questions so that all of the systems become defined (Allen 1993)
Continue Reading - Defining System Boundaries
An Ecological Framework for Huron Natural Area