As stated on the Ecological Society of America website:

Modern biology has become highly interdisciplinary, with new insights arising from consideration of connections within and between biotic systems at multiple scales. Ecologists regularly consider processes from the genomic level to those at planetary scales in order to elucidate interactions within natural systems. The educational challenges arising from the diverse scales and disciplines impinging on ecology provide a theme for this meeting. These challenges vary from those focused on public understanding of complex issues such as global-change, to one-on-one mentoring of students who may feel overwhelmed by the volume of material in even sub-fields of ecology.