  Using a new time-dependent measure, we demonstrate for the first time that
each defect in a representative defect-mediated spatiotemporally chaotic system
is associated with one to two degrees of dynamical freedom. Furthermore, we
show that not all dynamical degrees of freedom are related to the defects;
additional degrees of freedom are due to underlying phase turbulence. These
results yield a deeper understanding of the dynamical role of defects and
provide hope that these complicated systems might be reduced to simpler
descriptions.
