For example, Ricklefs' 2008 paper 'Disintegration of the ecological community' is one I still recommend to my students, even while I don't agree with some of the conclusions. It's a brilliant essay and a great starting point for debate.
Abstract: In this essay, I argue that the seemingly indestructible concept of the community
as a local, interacting assemblage of species has hindered progress toward understanding
species richness a...
