生态系统完整性(ecosystem integrity)的内涵不断发展.正在逐步成为现代环境伦理和环境政策的价值基础。对生态系统完整性有多个侧面的研究视角和定义。结构的视角注重系统组成的成分,功能的视角注重系统整体的、动态的特性;人类的价值判断对生态系统是否具有完整性起决定作用:从自组织演化的角度,一个健康、且具有不断自演化和进化能力的系统才是具有完整性的。从生态系统完整性的测量方法和评价指标体系来看。不同的生态系统,因其管理目标的不同。评价的指标和方法也有侧重。最后,生态系统完整性在生物资源保护和生态系统管理方面得到广泛应用。生态系统完整性应视为区域生态系统规划和管理的价值内核。
Ecosystem integrity has recently been proposed to facilitate enhanced protection of biological and ecological resources. It is valued as a basis for environment ethnics and public environment policy. In many aspects it has been assumed that to maintain ecosystem integrity or system integrity is the general purpose for ecosystem management. Yet ecosystem integrity is a relatively new concept with multi-aspect definition. Briefly to say, it focuses on the system components from structure point of view, while it prefers the in- tegrity and dynamic characteristics from function point of view. Further more, it focuses on whether human value plays a great role in defining and measuring ecosystem integrity. There are merits and limitations in different definitions of ecosystem integrity, for each acknowledges of different aspects of ecosystem structure and function reflect the subjective perspectives of humans on the value, importance, and role of biological diversity. From the point of self-organization, a system with health and the ability of self-evolution or of long-term adaptation to changing environmental conditions and human uses is of integrity. It is pointed out that ecosystem integrity and ecosystem health are different. The paper also gives explanations on methodology of ecosystem integrity measuring and assessing. It suggests that the indices for measuring ecosystem integrity comprise index of components, index of structure, index of services and index of human disturbances. The concept of ecosystem integrity has been applied in biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and searching for proper human-nature relationship. It also makes up the ecological understanding and values of the sustainable development.