This paper summarizes the outcome of the Holistic Landscape Ecology in Action workshop, held at the IALE World Congress.
A review of the literature reveals that the concept of holistic landscape ecology is gaining ground in the scientific community.
Applying a systems approach to concrete environmental issues, this volume is geared toward scientists, engineers, and sustainable development scholars and practitioners who are attuned to the ideas of the Resilience Alliance-an international group of scientists who take a more holistic view of ecology and environmental problem-solving.
In an era of increasingly multidisciplinary science, it is essential to identify the frontiers as well as the core of an inherently holistic discipline: ecosystem ecology.
We advocate using multiple measures of community composition - incorporating species-specific information, community metrics and functional traits - to ensure a more holistic understanding of disturbance ecology in forest landscapes.
Seth Itzkan — founder of Massachusetts-based Planet-TECH Associates, a consulting firm specializing in restoration ecology — advocates Holistic Planned Grazing (HPG), a model developed by Zimbabwean wildlife biologist Allan Savory.
The use of complex reference units, the assessment of numerous and diverse landscape functions, the transformation of natural scientific facts to categories of human society (by the evaluation procedure), and the elaboration of environmental goals (landscape visions) are essential characteristics of a genuine holistic approach in landscape ecology.
Humanistic, holistic frameworks like information ecology, activity theory, and participatory modeling emphasize that qualities like usability, utility, and adoptability are more than "interface deep".
The IMR now takes a holistic approach to marine ecology, using modern research vessels and facilities to monitor and study the whole marine ecosystem.
Participatory and communicative methods such as round tables, workshops, marketing of regional products and information campaigns caused significant acceleration of the implementation, suggesting that landscape ecology can be holistic only if public awareness and participation play an equal role with the expert views of natural scientists and planners.
Process-based models that incorporate a more holistic view of the viral ecology should be implemented as new information on the topic is obtained and computing power increases.
