Life and death on the coral reef: an ecological perspective on scholarly publishing in the health sciences

Objective: Reflecting patterns evident in past Janet Doe lectures, the 2004 address draws on the foundations of biology to provide a model that offers insights into the advent of electronic publications and choices for the future. Setting: The lecture sketches a picture of the fragile relationships found in complex ecosystems and illustrates how such interdependencies function in the environment of the coral reef. Analysis: Deriving lessons from the marine world, the lecture then shifts to a description of similarities in the realm of scholarly publishing, the impact of digital innovations in the marketplace, and the controversies and choices inherent in open access publications. Conclusions: Lessons from ecology and publishing lead to the conclusion that librarians must take action and risks in this time of dramatic environmental change.