Holistic study of an aquatic microcosm: theoretical and practical implications

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Abstract
The behavior of any system cannot be understood fully unless it is investigated as an intact unit over a range of states. The main task of holistic investigation is to determine the patterns of the set of responses and state transitions of a system and to examine the state space for trends, phases, and thresholds. Small laboratory ecosystems are ideal tools for holistic investigation of ecosystem function because they are replicable and state settable. A small aquatic microcosm was characterized holistically as an example of this approach. Comparison of the nominal behavior of this system with its behavior under various degrees of cadmium stress (1, 10, or 100 ppm Cd) indicated that holistic investigation of such systems is a sensitive and rapid means of assessing stress at the community level of organization.