A major focus of ecosystem ecology is on functional processes, ecological mechanisms that maintain the structure and services produced by ecosystems.

The ecosystem is the principal unit of study in ecosystem ecology.

Restoration ecology and ecosystem management are closely associated with ecosystem ecology.

Much of systems ecology can be considered a subset of ecosystem ecology.

However, systems ecology more actively considers external influences such as economics that usually fall outside the bounds of ecosystem ecology.

Vegetation associations on old buildings or along field boundary stone walls in old agricultural landscapes are examples of sites where research into novel ecosystem ecology is developing.

Systems ecology also considers the external influence of ecological economics, which usually is not otherwise considered in ecosystem ecology.

For the most part, systems ecology is a subfield of ecosystem ecology.

The concept reflects the dynamics of ecosystem ecology as described by Howard T. Odum.

Linking Sir Arthur Tansley's coined term "ecosystem" to field research, his studies were influential in forming modern ecosystem ecology.