Comparing Australian Ecosystems to Those Elsewhere. (cover story)

Explores the question of the significance of evolutionary history in shaping the biology of component species. Cases and studies from Australia which explore the question of which aspects of ecosystems depend on evolutionary history and which aspects are convergent given a similar physical environment; Observation that a basic characteristic of an ecosystem is the proportion of net primary production that is consumed by herbivores, as opposed to its traveling along decomposer trophic pathways; Location of sclerophyll and mesophyll vegetation side-by-side in Australia.