p.32 But it is one things to formulate such plans, and another to realize
them.
p.106 ecosystems are open, multiscalar, dynamic, and transitory assemblages
of biotic and abiotic elements that exist (or could exist) contingent upon accidents of environmental history, evolutionary
chance, human management, and the theoretical perspective one applies to define the boundaries.
p.107 Wicklum and Davies (1995) review the ecological science and management literatures and suggest that
although many definitions for ecological integrity exist, most fall into three broad categories: (1) systems have integrity
when their structure or processes stay at some acceptable (i.e., defined or negotiated) level or within some range of acceptable
levels, (2) systems have integrity when they are permitted to change unaffected by humans, and (3) systems have integrity
when they possess organizing and self-corrective abilities that give them resilience to perturbation.
p.108 Resilience. The third definition of integrity considered here suggests that systems having
integrity possess organizing and self-corrective abilities that give them resilience to perturbation. One possible interpretation
of this definition requires assuming that self-organizing and self-corrective properties exist for all ecosystems, which hints
and the homeostatic, organismic, nature-knows-best model of ecosystems discounted above in the discussion about health. Certainly,
it can be argued that ecosystems have numerous interdependent and coevolved properties that collectively exhibit complex and
hierarchical organizing properties. But it becomes difficult to objectively define which of these many organizing properties
deserve value and difficult to defend why less organized states of nature are necessarily less valued.
