This section provides the preface of Volume 45 of the book Advances in Ecological Research. The seven papers in this volume are the product of collaborations resulting from the activities of Sizemic, and the evolution of the ideas that are presented in the chapters. Sizemic has been an important venue for this initial stage of cross-fertilization to occur, and its inception may be seen in hindsight as one of the decisive moments when fisheries science and other branches of ecology became engaged anew.