DEDICATION 



ADVANCES IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 



A decade ago, there were only a handful of scientists throughout the world 

 engaged in the field of science called ecology.. With rising social consciousness 

 and an escalating series of local, national and global environmental problems, 

 there was an outcry for the application of scientific analysis to these problems. 

 The result of this was an evolution of a new field, called pollution research, 

 which had as its cornerstone the science of ecology. 



This volume includes papers that will discuss many of the specific aspects of 

 marine ecology and marine pollution research. You will find authors who are 

 studying the transformation and movements of pollutants in chemical systems, 

 as well as those who are attempting to miniaturize and model ecosystems with 

 the microcosms. The papers contained herein are a benchmark of marine 

 pollution research. 



We are dedicating the volume to one of the founders of modern ecology and 

 marine pollution research, Eugene P. Odum. Dr. Odum has dedicated his Ufe to 

 understanding the hoHstic processes of ecosystems and man's interaction with 

 these complex biological, physical and chemical systems. His pioneering work 

 in wetlands and radioecology led to his synthesized works in 

 FUNDAMENTALS OF ECOLOGY. The more that we attempt to understand 

 and unravel the complexities of modern marine ecosystems, the more we 

 recognize that the basic principles espouse by Eugene Odom are true. Not 

 only are we realizing that we cannot uncouple the various components of 

 ecosystems, but that man himself is coupled into these complex systems. 



Do not read the volume with the expectation of understanding all the 

 answers to major marine pollution problems today-but read it as a 

 state-of-the-art document outlining our advances in a rapidly changing and 

 evolving science. Throughout all the papers, attempt to follow Odum's 

 guidance, and to understand how the discussion of various parts of the problem 

 can be combined into holistic concepts that have eluded us in the past. Our 

 field of marine ecology has not evolved to that of a predictive science ; we lack 

 basic hypotheses and understandings to make it so. 



I hope that the reader v^all view these papers through Odum's 

 "macroscope," and in this way gain insights into the holistic view of our 

 oceans and coastal waters that will allow man to live in closer harmony with 

 the sea. 



Eric D. Schneider, Director 

 Environmental Research Laboratory 

 Narragansett, R.L 



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