生態系統的研究和管理是當代生態學中最具活力的領域。生態系統研究是基礎生態學、環境生態學和環境問題解決之間的橋梁。生態系統科學的范圍從有限的系統(如流域)擴展到復雜的空間景觀，再到地球本身，跨越時間尺度，從幾秒鐘到幾千年。生態系統科學與景觀生態學、全球生態學、生物地球化學、水生生態學、土壤科學、水文學、生態經濟學、保護生物學等學科有著密切的聯系。生態系統研究采用多種方法，包括理論和建模、長期調查、比較研究和大型實驗。《生態系統》雜志擁有一支杰出的總編輯團隊和一個杰出的國際編輯委員會，并被世界公認為重要研究、社論、小型評論和專題報道的基地。

The study and management of ecosystems represents the most dynamic field of contemporary ecology. Ecosystem research bridges fundamental ecology, environmental ecology and environmental problem-solving.The scope of ecosystem science extends from bounded systems such as watersheds to spatially complex landscapes, to the Earth itself, and crosses temporal scales from seconds to millennia. Ecosystem science has strong links to other disciplines including landscape ecology, global ecology, biogeochemistry, aquatic ecology, soil science, hydrology, ecological economics and conservation biology. Studies of ecosystems employ diverse approaches, including theory and modeling, long-term investigations, comparative research and large experiments.The journal Ecosystems features a distinguished team of editors-in-chief and an outstanding international editorial board, and is recognized worldwide as a home for significant research, editorials, mini-reviews and special features.