REU: Collaborative Research: Spatial Scaling and the Effects of Patch Mosaic Structure in Semiarid Ecosystems

REU：合作研究：半干旱生态系统中的空间尺度和斑块马赛克结构的影响

• 批准号: 8805829
• 负责人: John Wiens
• 金额: $ 31.97万
• 依托单位: Colorado State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1988
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1988-08-01 至 1993-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8805829&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: REU; Collaborative; Research; Spatial; Scaling

Ecosystems consist of mosaics of landscape elements or patches, and this patchiness is evident at many spatial scales. This research will answer two general questions: (1) Are landscape patterns repetitive over different spatial scales?, and (2) How does the patch structure of a landscape mosaic affect ecosystem dynamics and functions? The first question will be addressed by determining the patterns of distribution of patches (vegetation and disturbed areas as well as distributions of arthropod populations) at nested spatial scales ranging from 1 m2 to 10 km2 in semiarid ecosystems. By determining the degree of repetitiveness of mosaic patterns over ranges of scales in both Euclidean and fractal dimensions, one can assess the domains in which ecological patterns and processes operate independently of scale. These domains set the limits within which results from studies at any particular scale can be extrapolated to other scales. Establishing these limits is of critical importance to any attempts to derive generalizations about ecological patterns or processes in landscape mosaics or to compare the results of investigations of different ecological systems. To address the second question, the movement patterns of biotic vectors (ants and beetles) will be studied at fine to intermediate scales to determine how they relate to the patch- mosaic structure of the landscapes. By experimentally altering the patch structure of local environments or the movement patterns of animals, the roles that these organisms may play in the redistribution of materials or energy among patches in these ecosystems will be estimated. To the extent that the investigations indicate repetitiveness of patterns over a range of spatial scales, the studies conducted at fine scales may serve as a "microcosm" representing larger-scale landscape mosaics. Thus, although micro and macro-scale systems may differ biologically, they may share statistical similarities in patterns, allowing the development of procedures for experimentally investigating the movement of materials among elements in a landscape by focusing on fine-scale analogs of macro-landscapes. Research of this nature may be of fundamental importance in promoting the better management of the natural resources of arid lands. Additionally, there could be heretofore unrecognized benefits that would derive from the use of new mathematical approaches to the analysis of ecological data.

生态系统由景观元素或斑块的镶嵌性组成，在许多空间尺度上，这种斑点是显而易见的。 这项研究将回答两个一般问题：（1）景观模式是否在不同的空间尺度上重复了？和（2）景观镶嵌的斑块结构如何影响生态系统动力学和功能？ 第一个问题将通过确定嵌套的空间尺度（在半干旱生态系统中1 m2至10 km2）下的斑块分布（植被和障碍区域以及节肢动物种群的分布）的分布模式来解决。 通过确定在欧几里得和分形维度范围内镶嵌模式的重复性程度，可以评估生态模式和过程独立于量表的域。 这些域设定了可以将任何特定量表研究结果的限制推断到其他量表。 建立这些限制对于任何试图在景观马赛克中的生态模式或过程进行概括或比较不同生态系统的研究结果至关重要。 为了解决第二个问题，将以精细到中等尺度研究生物向量（蚂蚁和甲虫）的运动模式，以确定它们与景观的斑块结构的关系。 通过实验改变当地环境的斑块结构或动物的运动模式，将估计这些生物可能在这些生态系统中材料或能量重新分布中扮演的角色。 在一定程度上，研究表明模式在一系列空间尺度上的重复性，以细尺度进行的研究可以用作代表较大规模景观马赛克的“缩影”。 因此，尽管微观和宏观尺度系统在生物学上可能有所不同，但它们可能在模式上具有统计相似性，从而可以通过重点关注宏观景观的精细尺度类似物来实验研究材料在景观中的材料运动。 对这种性质的研究对于促进对干旱土地自然资源的更好管理可能至关重要。 此外，迄今为止可能有未认可的好处，这将从使用新的数学方法来分析生态数据。