Complex Systems Approaches in Ecology

The Earth's biosphere is arguably the most complex system known to humanity, and we are transforming it at an unprecedented pace. Understanding and, where necessary, reversing the impact of human interventions in complex ecosystems is an urgent concern that requires immediate global recognition. Large-scale measures such as cutting emissions and restoration of biodiversity are self-evident but it is not clear how to exactly achieve these in an efficient way when socio-economic interactions add to the complexity. It's also unclear which targeted measures we should adopt when addressing an issue—for instance, how to protect apex predators from man-made extinction. Gaining a sufficient understanding of high-diversity ecosystems across spatial and temporal scales presents an enormous challenge that requires a broad range of (especially multi-disciplinary) approaches.

This Research Topic aims to explore how methods focused on complex systems can enhance our understanding of ecological phenomena and, in turn, how ecological principles can shape the study of complex systems, which often exhibit nonlinear dynamics, multi-level interactions, and chaotic behavior. Complex systems approaches look beyond isolated components and aim to include the interactions between them to reveal the emergent properties of the entire system. The objective is to quantify (and, where possible, to understand the mechanisms behind) the ecological structure, dynamics, functionality, diversity, and resilience of ecosystems---ultimately, to offer desperately needed new insights for preserving and restoring as much as possible of our environment.

The topics may include, but are not limited to the following areas:

- Adaptive strategies in changing environments
- Management of invasive species and ecological equilibria
- Novel methods integrating environmental variability, memory, and cross-scale interactions
- Impact of environmental fluctuations on ecological dynamics
- Predictions of tipping points and system collapse
- Remotely sensed pattern analysis
- Spatial extended ecosystems
- Green transition and marine ecology
- Environmental monitoring and research
- Ecosystem engineering
- Human interventions that modify ecosystems
- How do ecosystems adapt amidst environmental variability and human interventions?
- Principles of self-organization and adaptability in ecology
- Dynamics of food webs and trophic interactions
- Relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

Keywords: complex systems, ecology, biodiversity, ecosystem, self-organization, adaptability

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.