Ecosystem Function in Heterogeneous Landscapes

Among the most dif?cult problems in the life sciences is the challenge to understand the details of how ecosystems/watersheds/landscapes function. Yet,the welfare of all life,not just the human species,depends upon the s- cessful functioning of diverse and complicated ecosystems, each with va- ous dimensions and compositions. Central to this “working” is the dominance, and to a major extent control, of ecosystems by organisms, which means that these systems are constantly changing as the component organisms change and evolve. Such changes increase the challenge to understand the functioning of ecosystems and landscapes. Moreover,und- standing the interactions among the myriad components of these systems is mind-boggling as there are scores of biotic (probably many thousands of species when the microbial components are fully enumerated through genomics) and countless abiotic (ions, molecules, and compounds) entities, all simultaneously interacting and responding to diverse external factors to produce functional or dysfunctional environments for life. This book focuses on the problems of connectedness and ecosystem fu- tioning. It is dif?cult enough to understand how an ecosystem functions when it is considered in isolation, but all ecosystems are open and c- nected to everything else. Clearly, the inputs to any ecosystem are the o- puts from others and vice versa, and as such the ?uxes represent major, if not critical, points for managing or changing the overall functioning of an ecosystem or landscape. A major challenge is to ?nd appropriate conceptual frameworks to address these complicated problems.

Among the most dif?cult problems in the life sciences is the challenge to understand the details of how ecosystems/watersheds/landscapes function. Yet,the welfare of all life,not just the human species,depends upon the s- cessful functioning of diverse and complicated ecosystems, each with va- ous dimensions and compositions. Central to this "e;working"e; is the dominance, and to a major extent control, of ecosystems by organisms, which means that these systems are constantly changing as the component organisms change and evolve. Such changes increase the challenge to understand the functioning of ecosystems and landscapes. Moreover,und- standing the interactions among the myriad components of these systems is mind-boggling as there are scores of biotic (probably many thousands of species when the microbial components are fully enumerated through genomics) and countless abiotic (ions, molecules, and compounds) entities, all simultaneously interacting and responding to diverse external factors to produce functional or dysfunctional environments for life. This book focuses on the problems of connectedness and ecosystem fu- tioning. It is dif?cult enough to understand how an ecosystem functions when it is considered in isolation, but all ecosystems are open and c- nected to everything else. Clearly, the inputs to any ecosystem are the o- puts from others and vice versa, and as such the ?uxes represent major, if not critical, points for managing or changing the overall functioning of an ecosystem or landscape. A major challenge is to ?nd appropriate conceptual frameworks to address these complicated problems.

Foreword Acknowledgements Contributors Participants in the 2003 Cary Conference Ecosystem Function in Heterogeneous Landscapes.- Section I Challenges and Conceptual Approaches: Editors' Introduction to Section I.- Causes and Consequences of Spatial Heterogeneity in Ecosystem Function. -The Template: Patterns and Processes of Spatial Variation.- Thoughts on the Generation and Importance of Spatial Heterogeneity in Ecosystems and Landscapes.- Reciprocal Cause and Effect Between Environmental Heterogeneity and Transport Processes.- Section II Perspectives from Different Disciplines: Editors' Introduction to Section II.- Population Ecology in Spatially Heterogeneous Environments.- Heterogeneity in Hydrologic Processes: A Terrestrial Hydrologic Modeling Perspective.- Spatial Heterogeneity in Infectious Disease Epidemics.- Spatial Heterogeneity and Its Relation to Processes in the Upper Ocean.- Section III Illustrations of Heterogeneity and Ecosystem Function: Editors' Introduction to Section III.- Heterogeneity in Arid and Semiarid Lands.- Formation of Soil-Vegetation Patterns.- Spatial Patterning of Soil Carbon Storage Across Boreal Landscapes.- Heterogeneity in Urban Ecosystems: Patterns and Process.- Origins, Patterns, and Importance of Heterogeneity in Riparian Systems.- Flowpaths as Integrators of Heterogeneity in Streams and Landscapes.- Causes and Consequences of Spatial Heterogeneity in Lakes.- Section IV Application of Frameworks and Concepts: Editors' Introduction to Section IV.- The Importance of Multi-Scale Spatial Heterogeneity in Wildland Fire Management and Research.- The Role of Spatial Heterogeneity in the Management of Freshwater Resources.- The Roles of Spatial Heterogeneity and Ecological Processes in Conservation Planning.- Section V Synthesis: Editors' Introduction to Section V.- Challenges in Understanding the Functions of Ecological Heterogeneity.- Spatial Pattern and Ecosystem Function: Reflections on Current Knowledge and Future Directions.- Spatial Heterogeneity: Past, Present, and Future.- Heterogeneity and Ecosystem Function: Enhancing Ecological Understanding and Applications.- Conceptual Frameworks: Plan for a Half-Built House.- Index.