Ecosystem science: toward a new paradigm for managing Australia’s aquatic ecosystems

Abstract

Freshwater ecosystems are a foundation of our social, cultural, spiritual and economicwell being.The degraded
 condition of many of Australia’s river ecosystems is testament to our failure to manage these resources wisely. Ecosystem
 science involves the holistic study of complex biophysical systems to understand the drivers that influence ecological
 pattern and process. Ecosystem science should underpin both water management and policy. Our understanding of aquatic
 ecosystems lags behind the increasing problems caused by past land andwater management. Current post-graduate training
 programmes will not provide the aquatic ecosystem scientists needed by government and management agencies to prevent
 further degradation.We advocate newinitiatives to capture the skills, knowledge and innovation of our research community
 by engaging scientists and managers in large-scale, long-term ecosystem science programmes across Australia and to
 integrate these programmes with community aspirations, policy, planning and management. We call on management
 agencies to increase their support for and uptake and use of ecosystem science.We also advocate establishment of national
 archives for long-term ecologically-relevant data and samples, and clear custodial arrangements to protect, update and
 facilitate knowledge-transfer. These initiatives need to be supported by more extensive, better-funded post-graduate and
 post-doctoral programmes in ecosystem science and management