Kay. J., Regier, H., 2000. "Uncertainty, Complexity, And Ecological Integrity: Insights from an Ecosystem Approach ", in P. Crabbe, A. Holland, L. Ryszkowski and L. Westra (eds), Implementing Ecological Integrity: Restoring Regional and Global Environmental and Human Health, Kluwer, NATO Science Series, Environmental Security pp. 121-156.

This paper explores the concept of ecological integrity in the context of our new understanding of the complexity of ecological phenomena. Ecological integrity pertains to the integrity of the self-organization of ecological systems, including human societal systems. The concepts of self-organization, attractors, propensities, and canon provide a theoretical reference frame for defining ecological integrity. Ecological integrity is about three facets of self-organization of ecological systems: a) current well being, b) resiliency, c) capacity to develop, regenerate and evolve. Given the nature of ecological systems as self-organizing holarchic open systems, a definition of ecological integrity is hierarchical and requires choosing a restricted set of attractors from the possible set in the given circumstances. This reality, in principle, negates the possibility of a strictly science based definition of integrity. We have presented an alternative basis for discussing integrity, an adaptive ecosystem approach which integrates human issues with ecological reality.

A Self-organizing Holarchic Open Systems framework for discussing ecological systems and their integrity is presented along with examples of the issues this framework raises. This sets the stage for a discourse on the relationship between humans and ecological integrity. A conceptual model for dealing with the complexity of the human-natural ecosystem is introduced. Finally, drawing upon complex systems thinking and post normal science, a adaptive ecosystem approach for sustaining ecological integrity is put forward.

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  Figure 2: Societal system in an ecological context

  Figure 3: Holarchic structure of the natural-societal ecosystem

  Figure 4: The Biosphere as a Self-organizing Holarchic Open System

  Figure 5: The ecosystem approach.

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