The ecosystem structure-function link

传统上，生态系统的属性被认为是结构或功能。 然而，生态学家越来越关注人类活动对生态系统功能属性的影响，部分原因是它们（据称）与生态产品和服务的密切关系。尽管如此，大多数生态监测/监督方案，生态风险评估和恢复举措采用结构或成分的终点和指标。 因此，评估生态系统功能的风险几乎总是需要从生态系统结构到生态系统功能进行推断。 一个明显的问题是：在什么程度上，在什么条件下，这样的推论是合理的？

Conventionally, ecosystem attributes are considered either structural or functional. Increasingly, however, ecologists are concerned with anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem functional attributes, in part because of their (purported) strong relationship with ecological goods and services. This notwithstanding, most ecological monitoring/surveillance programs, ecological risk assessments and restoration initiatives employ structural or compositional endpoints and indicators. Hence, evaluating risks to ecosystem functionality almost invariably require inferences from ecosystem structure to ecosystem function. An obvious question is then: to what extent, and under what conditions, are such inferences justified?