Ecology in Transition: From Systems Science to Global Sustainability (1970–2025)

Abstract

Ecology, once rooted in theoretical explorations of species interactions and energy flows, has shifted from descriptive study of biotic–abiotic interactions to an applied discipline addressing pressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and socio-environmental inequities. Over the past five decades, ecological thought and practice have undergone major paradigm shifts, moving through systems ecology, conservation biology, landscape ecology, socio-ecological systems, resilience thinking, and, more recently, digital and decolonial ecologies. This article critically examines these transitions across ten-year intervals from 1970 to 2025, highlighting how scientific advances have been shaped by changing social, political, and ethical contexts. It further emphasizes the integration of technological innovations (GIS, AI, remote sensing), interdisciplinary frameworks, participatory approaches, and indigenous knowledge systems into ecological research and applications. By tracing the co-evolution of ecological theory and practice, the study underscores ecology’s emergence as a solution-oriented science that informs sustainability planning, environmental governance, and planetary health, while contributing to the design of adaptive and resilient futures in the Anthropocene.