Terrestrial Ecosystems in Changing EnvironmentsPredicting how terrestrial ecosystems might respond in the future to large-scale human-generated changes is a major challenge for ecologists. In Terrestrial Ecosystems in Changing Environments, Herman H. Shugart describes the fundamental ecological concepts, theoretical developments, and quantitative analyses involved in understanding the responses of natural systems to change. The key ecological concepts described include the ecosystem paradigm, niche theory, vegetation/climate relationships, landscape ecology and ecological modeling. A variety of ecological models are presented, and their applications in predicting responses to change are considered. The challenge of producing ecological models capable of predicting long-term and large-area ecosystem dynamics is reviewed and several examples are provided. Finally, some of the exciting new findings regarding terrestrial landscapes and their feedback with their climatic setting are discussed in the context of human land use and global change. |
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Contents
The importance of understanding ecosystem change | 3 |
The omnipresence of change | 9 |
Temporal scale spatial scale and the ecosystem | 33 |
Ecological modelling | 61 |
Niche theory | 103 |
Vegetationenvironment relations | 144 |
The mosaic theory of natural landscapes | 178 |
Individualbased models | 207 |
Landscape models | 294 |
Mosaic landscape models | 343 |
Spatially interactive landscape models | 382 |
Homogeneous landscape models | 413 |
Global change | 445 |
469 | |
523 | |
Consequences of gap models | 248 |
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Common terms and phrases
animals application associated atmosphere biomass biomass dynamics biome Bonan boreal forest canopy Chapter climate change COâ‚‚ compartment models competition complex concept conifer cycle density developed discussed distribution ecological succession ecologists ecosys effects environment environmental change environmental conditions equations evapotranspiration example expected factors Figure functional types gap models GCMs global change gradient grassland Grinnellian niche growth rate H. H. Shugart habitat Holdridge important increase individual individual-based models initial input interactions involved landscape models leaf area leaf area index linear Lotka-Volterra equations material transfer models moisture montane Nâ‚‚ net primary productivity nitrogen ovenbird parameters pattern photosynthesis plant plot population potential predict primary productivity processes produce quelea rain forest range regeneration relatively response Role scales scenarios Shugart simulated Smith soil space spatial structure studies successional Table temperature terrestrial ecosystems terrestrial surface tion tropical Tundra UKMO variables variation vegetation zone
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Page 492 - Gradient modeling: a new approach to fire modeling and wilderness resource management', Environmental Management 1: 39—48. Kessell, SR (1979) Gradient Modeling, Resource and Fire Management, New York Springer.‎