This volume is based on the proceedings of a conference held at Florida State University in April, 1978. This conference was supported by the Florida State University Graduate Research Council, the Department of Biological Science (F. S. U. ), and the Center for Professional Development and Public Service. Particular recogni tion should be made of the efforts of Dr. Anne Thistle in the organization of the conference and the completion of this book. Julia K. White and Sheila Marrero produced the typescript. The principal objective of the conference was to assemble a group of marine scientists from diverse disciplines to discuss the state of marine ecology with particular attention to new research directions based on previous studies. Emphasis was placed on the integration of different research approaches and on the application of established procedures to various environmental problems. An effort was made to eliminate traditional disciplinary boundaries which often hinder our understanding of marine systems. There was generally wide latitude for review and speculation concerning such topics as physico-chemical processes, productivity and trophic interactions, population distribution and community structure, and natural or anthropogenic disturbance phenomena. Throughout, the usual miniaturization of the scope of discussion was subordinate to a frank appraisal of the present status of marine research. Although many introductory ecological texts stress the so called ecosystem approach, individual marine research projects seldom encompass this broad course. There is, in fact, a real need for system-wide studies at both the theoretical and applied levels.
