Chapin, F. Stuart, III, et. al.: "Biotic Control over the Functioning of Ecosystems," Science, July 1997, vol. 277, pages 500–504. A seminal review by David Tilman and his students describing the role of biodiversity in stabilizing ecosystems.

Connor, E.F. and D. Simberloff: "Competition, Scientific Method, and Null Models in Ecology," American Scientist, 1986, vol. 74, pages 155–62. A central article in the continuing debate about the role of competition in structuring natural communities.

Devries, P.: "Stinging Caterpillars, Ants, and Symbiosis," Scientific American, October 1992, pages 76–82. An article about the intricate symbiosis between ants and caterpillars, a symbiosis that says a lot about interdependence within ecosystems and how it arises.

Handel, S. and A. Beattie: "Seed Dispersal by Ants," Scientific American, August 1990, pages 76–83. Many plant species induce ants to spread their seeds with special food lures and other adaptations.

Nadkarni, N.M.: "Diversity of Species and Interactions in the Upper Tree Canopy of Forest Ecosystems," American Zoologist, 1994, vol. 34 (1), 1994, pages 70–78. How important is diversity to nutrient cycling?

Quammen, D.: The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction, Scribner, New York, 1996. A wonderful account of how biologists have come to understand the special biology of islands. Look particularly to the treatment of Wallace.

Rennie, J.: "Living Together," Scientific American, January 1992, pages 120–33. An excellent overview of how coevolution and symbiosis have shaped life today.

Tilman, D., D. Wedin, J. Knops: "Productivity and Sustainability Influenced by Biodiversity in Grassland Ecosystems," Nature, February 22, 1996, vol. 379, pages 718–20. An important experiment demonstrating that biodiversity promotes productivity.

Worster, D.: Nature’s Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1994. An insightful look at the evolution of ecological theory.