Qualitative patterns and processes in marine ecology: a conceptual programme

Abstract

Since ecosystem organization is a qualitative phenomenon, ecological pattern and process, its static and dynamic manifestations, are best captured as qualitative models. However, ecological methodology is overwhelmingly quantitative in orientation -a reflection not only of the transfer to ecology of the physical sciences paradigm, but also of the paucity of qualitative techniques. We argue that avenues now exist for the rapid exploitation of the qualitative approach. This holds the potential both of modelling ecologi-cal systems in terms of intrinsically relevant variables and of creating an independent ecological paradigm. THE PROBLEM The nature of biological phenomena Pattern and process are dual concepts in biology: they are static and dynamic reflections of organization in biological systems. Biological patterns emerge through biological processes and biological processes are rich in patterns. In this essay, we will explore the qualitative aspects of this duality in the context of marine ecology, since much biological organization and, hence, many biological patterns and processes are essentially quali-tative in nature. We will seek to show that much significant pattern and process may be approached directly through appropriate qualitative technique, rather than indirectly through awkward quantitative mapping. This is not to reject completely the quantita-tive approach to biology but to suggest that it is a subset of a more general analytical approach. We will argue that the set of essential elements -a conceptual programme -of a qualitative approach to biological pattern and process now exists. We will support our argument by appeal to our recent qualitative studies on the structure and function of the complex, high diversity ecosystems of tropical coral reefs. Then we O Inter-Research/Printed in F. R. Germany