Provides a brief overview of the context of the book and the approach adopted. This chapter provides a brief introduction to the topics covered by the book and also provides an overview of how the book is structured. The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems is described and then a number of key terms are defined, including ecosystem, ecosystem collapse and ecosystem recovery. The role of metaphor in ecology is considered and then the concept of ecosystem collapse is evaluated, in terms of its relevance to environmental policy and management.