In this chapter I will draw together the discussions in this book in order to show a general procedure for putting the concept of ecosystem functioning into practice. For this purpose I will extend the discussion of existing concepts, such as ecosystem integrity or ecosystem resilience, to include a broader array of different ideas of what a functioning ecosystem is and how we can assess ecosystem functioning. Using the SIC scheme, which I introduced in Chapter 4, I will first discuss four common types of ecosystem concept and describe what ‘proper functioning’ means for them (Section 7.1). Following this classification I will then develop some guidelines on how to conceptualise and assess ecosystem functioning in conservation practice (Section 7.2), followed by a case study from restoration ecology (Section 7.3). Finally, I will draw some general conclusions on the potentials and limitations of the ecosystem functioning concept (Section 7.4).

Ecosystem functioning concepts in practice: a classification

Instead of starting with a specific index or a very general idea of ecosystems, we may go the other way and start with the definitions of (intact or functioning) ecosystems as they are commonly implied in conservation strategies and in scientific papers. These ideas often do not refer to the mechanism by which an ecosystem ‘functions’, but instead characterise a functioning system by its outcome, i.e. the persistence or continued existence of specific properties or products that are thought to characterise a functioning ecosystem – acknowledging that the system is dynamic internally.