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Towards a definition of ecological disturbance
Author(s) -
RYKIEL EDWARD J.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9993.1985.tb00897.x
Subject(s) - disturbance (geology) , ecology , meaning (existential) , perturbation (astronomy) , construct (python library) , conceptual framework , epistemology , environmental resource management , computer science , environmental science , philosophy , geology , biology , physics , paleontology , quantum mechanics , programming language
The terms disturbance, perturbation, and stress have been used in various ecological contexts, often synonymously, inconsistently and ambiguously. Consequently, the meaning of these terms lack any ecological rigor upon which to construct a coherent theory of ecosystem response to disturbance. Herein are some of the semantic and conceptual problems involved in defining disturbance, perturbation and stress, and proposals of working definitions as a basis for further discussion.