so than GEOMON, BIOGEOMON would provide opportunities for the free exchange of ideas, fostering the development of research collaborations between its participants. With international openness comes the increasing realization that every indus­ trialized nation has its own legacy of environmental degradation. Anthropogenic impacts differ in severity and scale; air and water transport of pollutants transform local impacts into regional and global ones, ignoring political boundaries and eco­ nomic differences. Environmental consequences of anthropogenic activities often are detectable at the ecosystem level. Thus, the challenge of ecosystem science, and to the individuals who practice it, is to develop a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem function in the past and at present, and to apply such understanding toward minimizing future insults to the local, regional, and global environment.