Perspectives in Ecological Theory Author:Ramon Margalef A classic in the history of ecosystem theory. Margalef takes leading ideas from cybernetics and systems theory in order to clarify relations between the structure and function of ecological systems and makes predictions concerning their behavior. He explores feedback, diversity, stability, energy flow, and general principles of the organization ... more »of ecosystems along with the succession of arrays of natural populations as they move through time and change from relatively simple to complex structures. Examples cited are from investigations of planktonic populations, but the ideas encompass such diverse terrestrial ecosystems as deserts and tropical rain forests.« less