The truth is that we will never know what primal conditions were. We can substitute quality, long-term, research conducted on habitats, populations and communities that are protected from outside forces. This surely is not the best solution, but it is quite reasonable, and our only recourse. Hence, we as a society must set aside sizable areas for basic biological research. I emphasize large areas because they represent our closest approximation to natural, undisturbed ecosystems.
Additional reasons exist for demanding that ecologists conduct multi-year, long term research.
Single year, or even five year projects represent ecological snapshots. If done well, they describe conditions at that particular place and time. Although useful, the knowledge derived from these studies is limited. Their true value emerges when they are conducted continuously for much longer periods, or when researchers return to replicate them years later. Recently, alarming declines in the abundance and diversity of organisms have been documented in many parts of the world.