Trophic flow kinetics in marine ecosystems: Toward a theoretical approach to ecosystem functioning

Considering the P/B ratio a measure of the trophic flow kinetic provides a new way to look at this parameter. Implications of the model are discussed and its usefulness for building a general theory on ecosystem functioning is argued. We especially discuss how changes in the flow kinetics may contribute to top-down regulations and why fast transfer through the food web is a factor of ecosystems' resilience.