1. The Ecosystem Perspective. - 2. The Origin of Ecosystems by Means of Subjective Selection. - 3. The Past Present and Future of Ecological Energetics. - 4. Freshwater Ecosystems: A Perspective. - 5. Achievements and Challenges in Forest Energetics. - 6. Abiotic Controls on Primary Productivity and Nutrient Cycles in North American Grasslands. - 7. Grasslands and Savannas: Regulation of Energy Flow and Nutrient Cycling by Herbivores. - 8. Agroecosystems Processes. - 9. Ocean Basin Ecosystems. - 10. The Cycling of Essential Elements in Coral Reefs. - 11. Coral Reef Energetics. - 12. The Study of Stream Ecosystems: A Functional View. - 13. Energy Flow and Trophic Structure. - 14. Scale Synthesis and Ecosystem Dynamics. - 15. Towards Predictive Models for Coastal Marine Ecosystems. - 16. Problems and Challenges in Ecosystem Analysis. - References. Language: English