Download or read book How Disturbance Creates the Storage Effect and Promotes Maintenance of Species Diversity written by Adam David Miller and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Interpretation and Implications of Variability in Ecological Systems written by Robert Klinger and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2024-07-22 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain the dynamics in abundance of individual species, how species interact, how communities assemble, and how interactions between biotic and abiotic processes shape ecosystem stability. Many if not most of these hypotheses find some degree of support, but often only within relatively narrow spatial and temporal ranges. This is because conditions vary over time and from place to place, and so the strength and extent of processes that were the focus of a given a hypothesis become altered by other forces. Ecologists have confronted variability from two perspectives; conceptual and statistical. Conceptually, spatial and temporal variability are now recognized as being scale dependent and hierarchical. Statistically, there are many models that ecologists readily use that account for the hierarchical and scale-dependence of variability present in many datasets. But linking the two perspectives into a meaningful understanding of what variability means in real systems has been much less successful. For example, it is common to see studies where the fixed effects of a generalized linear mixed model are reported, but very often random effects are completely ignored or, at best, given scant attention. The likelihood of this being a significant problem increases greatly in what are rapidly becoming more common studies that utilize datasets spanning long temporal and/or large spatial scales, or when extreme and often unpredictable events (gray and black swans) occur.
Download or read book Community Ecology written by Gary G. Mittelbach and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2019-06-05 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Community ecology has undergone a transformation in recent years, from a discipline largely focused on processes occurring within a local area to a discipline encompassing a much richer domain of study, including the linkages between communities separated in space (metacommunity dynamics), niche and neutral theory, the interplay between ecology and evolution (eco-evolutionary dynamics), and the influence of historical and regional processes in shaping patterns of biodiversity. To fully understand these new developments, however, students continue to need a strong foundation in the study of species interactions and how these interactions are assembled into food webs and other ecological networks. This new edition fulfils the book's original aims, both as a much-needed up-to-date and accessible introduction to modern community ecology, and in identifying the important questions that are yet to be answered. This research-driven textbook introduces state-of-the-art community ecology to a new generation of students, adopting reasoned and balanced perspectives on as-yet-unresolved issues. Community Ecology is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers seeking a broad, up-to-date coverage of ecological concepts at the community level.
Download or read book Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States written by Therese M. Poland and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-02-01 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.
Download or read book Ecological Heterogeneity written by Jurek Kolasa and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An attractive, promising, and frustrating feature of ecology is its complex ity, both conceptual and observational. Increasing acknowledgment of the importance of scale testifies to the shifting focus in large areas of ecology. In the rush to explore problems of scale, another general aspect of ecolog ical systems has been given less attention. This aspect, equally important, is heterogeneity. Its importance lies in the ubiquity of heterogeneity as a feature of ecological systems and in the number of questions it raises questions to which answers are not readily available. What is heterogeneity? Does it differ from complexity? What dimensions need be considered to evaluate heterogeneity ade quately? Can heterogeneity be measured at various scales? Is heterogeneity apart of organization of ecological systems? How does it change in time and space? What are the causes of heterogeneity and causes of its change? This volume attempts to answer these questions. It is devoted to iden tification of the meaning, range of applications, problems, and methodol ogy associated with the study of heterogeneity. The coverage is thus broad and rich, and the contributing authors have been encouraged to range widely in discussions and reflections. vi Preface The chapters are grouped into themes. The first group focuses on the conceptual foundations (Chapters 1-5). These papers exarnine the meaning of the term, historical developments, and relations to scale. The second theme is modeling population and interspecific interactions in hetero geneous environments (Chapters 6 and 7).
Download or read book Natural Systems written by Markus Eichhorn and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-02-18 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Organised into four sections, this text discusses the organisation of the living world. Links Ecology, Biodiversity and Biogeography Bridges modern and conventional Ecology Builds sequentially from the concept and importance of species, through patterns of diversity to help consider global patterns of biogeography Uses real data sets to help train in essential skills
Download or read book Global Climate and Ecosystem Change written by Gordon J. MacDonald and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-21 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Humankind's ever-expanding activities have caused environmental changes that reach beyond localities and regions to become global in scope. Disturbances to the atmosphere, oceans, and land produce changes in the living parts of the planet, while, at the same time, alterations in the biosphere modify the atmosphere, oceans, and land. Understanding this complex web of interactions poses unprecedented intellectual challenges. The atmospheric concentrations of natural trace gases-carbon dioxide (C0 ), methane (CH. ), nitrous oxide (N0), and lower-atmosphere ozone 2 2 (Os)-have increased since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Industrial gases such as the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are not part of the natural global ecosystem, are increasing at much greater rates than are the naturally occurring trace gases. All these gases absorb and emit infrared radiation and thus have the potential for altering global climate. The major terrestrial biomes are also changing. Although world attention has focused on deforestation, particularly in tropical areas, the development of agriculture, the diversion of water resources, and urbanization have all modified terrestrial ecosystems in both obvious and subtle ways. The terrestrial biosphere, by taking up atmospheric carbon dioxide, acts as a primary determinant of the overall carbon balance of the global ecosystem. Although the ways in which the biosphere absorbs carbon are, as yet, poorly understood, the destruction (and regrowth) of forests certainly alter this process.
Download or read book Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Clonal Plants written by Josef F. Stuefer and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-06-29 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spontaneous self-cloning or clonality is a widespread phenomenon in the plant kingdom, and has a wide array of ecological and evolutionary implications. This volume is the outcome of an international workshop on clonal plant biology aimed at illustrating current progress and recent developments in the scientific study of clonality in plants. The first section of this book includes a collection of original research articles which demonstrate the wide variety of approaches and scientific challenges linked to clonality in plants. The topics covered in this section include ecological and evolutionary implications of sexual versus asexual propagation, including life-history evolution and sex-ratio dynamics, the importance of internal resource transport and remobilization of storage products for the invasiveness and competitiveness of clonal plants, a survey of clonal growth forms in grassland communities, and studies on the interactions between clonal plants and animals and fungi. The approaches used range from experimental studies on a broad variety of systems to mathematical modeling of clonal growth and its consequences. The second part features discussion and review papers on a diverse array of subjects, ranging from developmental considerations of clonality, principles of selection and evolution in clonal plants, a survey of clonality in algae, to potential implications of clonality for plant mating, and beyond. This part of the volume aims at presenting novel ideas and hypotheses, and at summarizing existing knowledge in previously under-researched areas, thereby providing directions for future research initiatives. This book captures ongoing cutting-edge research in the field of clonal plant ecology and evolution. It is directed to anyone from the undergraduate to specialist level who is interested in the biology of the intriguing phenomenon of asexual propagation in plants.
Download or read book Ecological Systems written by Rik Leemans and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-12 with total page 311 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Earth is home to an estimated 8 million animal species, 600,000 fungi, 300,000 plants, and an undetermined number of microbial species. Of these animal, fungal, and plant species, an estimated 75% have yet to be identified. Moreover, the interactions between these species and their physical environment are known to an even lesser degree. At the same time, the earth’s biota faces the prospect of climate change, which may manifest slowly or extremely rapidly, as well as a human population set to grow by two billion by 2045 from the current seven billion. Given these major ecological changes, we cannot wait for a complete biota data set before assessing, planning, and acting to preserve the ecological balance of the earth. This book provides comprehensive coverage of the scientific and engineering basis of the systems ecology of the earth in 15 detailed, peer-reviewed entries written for a broad audience of undergraduate and graduate students as well as practicing professionals in government, academia, and industry. The methodology presented aims at identifying key interactions and environmental effects, and enabling a systems-level understanding even with our present state of factual knowledge.
Download or read book The Impacts of Natural Disasters written by Committee on Assessing the Costs of Natural Disasters and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1999-04-20 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We in the United States have almost come to accept natural disasters as part of our nation's social fabric. News of property damage, economic and social disruption, and injuries follow earthquakes, fires, floods and hurricanes. Surprisingly, however, the total losses that follow these natural disasters are not consistently calculated. We have no formal system in either the public or private sector for compiling this information. The National Academies recommends what types of data should be assembled and tracked.
Download or read book The Nature of Plant Communities written by J. Bastow Wilson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-21 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides a comprehensive review of the role of species interactions in the process of plant community assembly.
Download or read book Anolis Lizards of the Caribbean written by Jonathan Roughgarden and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1995-05-18 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Anolis lizards of the Caribbean are ideally suited for the study of evolutionary ecology. Offering fascinating insights into the more than 150 species dispersed throughout the Caribbean islands, Jonathan Roughgarden details the differences between species in a wide range of behavioral and physical characteristics, including foraging behaviors, body size, and habitat use, resulting from evolutionary divergences concurrent with the plate-tectonic origins of the region. This book will be of interest to students and researchers--ecology and theoretical, tropical, and population biology.
Download or read book Causes and Consequences of Species Diversity in Forest Ecosystems written by Aaron M. Ellison and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2019-07-30 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Causes and Consequences of Species Diversity in Forest Ecosystems that was published in Forests
Download or read book Forestry Principles And Applications written by Antony, J R. and published by Scientific Publishers. This book was released on 2013-01-01 with total page 805 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook is written for undergraduates & postgraduates, university & college teachers, scientists and professional foresters. It offers a real-life introduction to the field of forestry and an interdisciplinary overview of the theory behind it. This textbook covers forestry in great depth and the real strength of the book lies in its focus on the context and applications of the field. Thanks to its wide scope, it not only serves as a useful introduction to the field but can also be used to understand how many other key forestry topics have changed in recent years as a consequence of the technology advancement. This textbook will significantly help the students for preparation of UPSC-Civil Service Exam, UPSC-Indian Forest Service Exam, ICFRE & ICAR Scientists/NET Exam, University Entrance Exam for admission to M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes.
Download or read book Ocean Acidification written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-09-14 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ocean has absorbed a significant portion of all human-made carbon dioxide emissions. This benefits human society by moderating the rate of climate change, but also causes unprecedented changes to ocean chemistry. Carbon dioxide taken up by the ocean decreases the pH of the water and leads to a suite of chemical changes collectively known as ocean acidification. The long term consequences of ocean acidification are not known, but are expected to result in changes to many ecosystems and the services they provide to society. Ocean Acidification: A National Strategy to Meet the Challenges of a Changing Ocean reviews the current state of knowledge, explores gaps in understanding, and identifies several key findings. Like climate change, ocean acidification is a growing global problem that will intensify with continued CO2 emissions and has the potential to change marine ecosystems and affect benefits to society. The federal government has taken positive initial steps by developing a national ocean acidification program, but more information is needed to fully understand and address the threat that ocean acidification may pose to marine ecosystems and the services they provide. In addition, a global observation network of chemical and biological sensors is needed to monitor changes in ocean conditions attributable to acidification.
Download or read book Ecological Niches written by Jonathan M. Chase and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2003-07 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do species live where they live? What determines the abundance and diversity of species in a given area? What role do species play in the functioning of entire ecosystems? All of these questions share a single core concept—the ecological niche. Although the niche concept has fallen into disfavor among ecologists in recent years, Jonathan M. Chase and Mathew A. Leibold argue that the niche is an ideal tool with which to unify disparate research and theoretical approaches in contemporary ecology. Chase and Leibold define the niche as including both what an organism needs from its environment and how that organism's activities shape its environment. Drawing on the theory of consumer-resource interactions, as well as its graphical analysis, they develop a framework for understanding niches that is flexible enough to include a variety of small- and large-scale processes, from resource competition, predation, and stress to community structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem function. Chase and Leibold's synthetic approach will interest ecologists from a wide range of subdisciplines.
Download or read book Understanding and Managing Emerald Ash Borer Impacts on Ash Forests written by Randall K. Kolka and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2018-10-12 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Understanding and Managing Emerald Ash Borer Impacts on Ash Forests" that was published in Forests
