DEDICATION 
ADVANCES IN MARINE POLLUTION 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 life to 
understanding the holistic 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 expoused by Eugene Odum 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 will 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 to closer harmony with the sea. 
Eric D. Schneider, Director 
Environmental Research Laboratory 
Narraggasett, R.I. 
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