A New Ecology: Systems Perspective, Second Edition , gives an overview of the commonalities of all ecosystems from a variety of properties: physical openness, ontic openness, directionality, connectivity, a complex dynamic for growth and development, and a complex dynamic response to disturbances. Each chapter details basic and characteristic properties and then helps the reader understand how they can be applied to explain a wide spectrum of current ecological research and environmental management applications. Every chapter has been revised, updated or re-developed to include the most current research and technology Reviews universal traits of ecosystems from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a complete overview of the systems perspective of ecology Offers broad examples of ecology as a systems science, from the history of science to philosophy to the arts, making this reference work engaging for readers Brings together the systems perspective in a framework of four columns for greater understanding: thermodynamics, network theory, hierarchy theory and biochemistry Contains new chapter on application of the theory to environmental management.