Bormann, F.H. and G.E. Likens: Pattern and Process in a Forested Ecosystem, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1994. A fascinating and well-written description of the Hubbard Brook experiments.

Colvinaux, P.A.: "The Past and Future Amazon," Scientific American, May 1989, pages 102–8. A very interesting article, based on current research, about historical changes in the Amazon rainforest ecosystem.

Golley, F. B.: A History of the Ecosystem Concept in Ecology: More Than the Sum of Its Parts, Yale Universiyt Press, New Haven, 1993. A historical synthesis of ecology and biotic communities.

Houghton, R.A. and G.M. Woodwell: "Global Climatic Change," Scientific American, April 1989, pages 36–44. A good summary of research on global warming.

Kusler, J.A., W.J. Mitsch, and J.S. Larson: "Wetlands," Scientific American, vol. 210, January 1994, pages 64–70. The complexity of and vital role played by wetlands are discussed, along with the environmental policy that may or may not protect them.

Paul, W.M., and others: "The Global Carbon Cycle," American Scientist, vol. 78, pages 310–26. 1990. The dynamic responses of natural systems to carbon dioxide may determine the future of the earth’s climate.

Pimm, S., and others: "Food Web Patterns and Their Consequences," Nature, vol. 350, April 1991, pages 669–74. A review of current ecological knowledge of food webs.

Sanderson, S.L. and R. Wassersug: "Suspension-Feeding Vertebrates," Scientific American, March 1990, pages 96–101. Animals that filter their food out of the water can reap the abundance of plankton and grow in huge numbers or to enormous size.

Sisson, R.: "Tide Pools: Windows Between Land and Sea," National Geographic, vol. 169 (2), 1986, pages 252–59. A beautifully illustrated tour of a California tide pool, alive with organisms.

Spencer, C.N., B.R. McClelland, and J.A. Stanford: "Shrimp Stocking, Salmon Collapse, and Eagle Displacement," BioScience, vol. 41, 1991, pages 14–21. Cascading interactions in the food web of a large aquatic ecosystem.