Biotic fluxes of matter and energy between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

This paper is an introduction to a special issue of the journal. A brief historical delineation of the question of studying interfaces between adjacent ecosystems (ecotones) is presented. High biodiversity of ecotones and their vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic impacts, including invasions of alien species, are noted. It is supposed that there is no contradiction between the ecotone and river continuum concepts. The important ecological role of amphibiotic animals and plants in interactions and functioning of the adjacent ecosystems is emphasized. The issue of studying the quantitative parameters of fluxes of matter and energy between ecosystems in conjunction with their qualitative parameters (chemical elemental and biochemical compositions) is considered in the present paper.