Diagnostic carbon cycle models produce estimates of net ecosystem production (NEP, the balance of net primary production
and heterotrophic respiration) by integrating information from (i) satellite-based observations of land surface
vegetation characteristics; (ii) distributed meteorological data; and (iii) eddy covariance flux tower observations of
net ecosystem exchange (NEE) (used in...
Long-term ecological data are crucial in helping ecologists understand ecosystem function and environmental change. Nevertheless, these kinds of data sets are difficult to analyze because they are usually large, multivariate, and spatiotemporal. Although existing analysis tools such as statistical methods and spreadsheet software permit rigorous tests of pre-conceived hypotheses and...
Because forest ecosystems have the capacity to store large quantities of carbon
(C), there is interest in managing forests to mitigate elevated CO[subscript 2] concentrations and
associated effects on the global climate. However, some mitigation techniques may contrast
with management strategies for other goals, such as maintaining and restoring biodiversity....
Environmental challenges are complex and require expertise from multiple disciplines. Consequently, there is growing interest in interdisciplinary
environmental research that integrates natural and social science, an often arduous undertaking. We surveyed researchers interested and experienced
in research at the human–environment interface to assess perspectives on interdisciplinary research. Integrative interdisciplinary research...
Abstract: During recent human history, human activities such as overhunting and habitat destruction have severely impacted many large top predator populations around the world. Studies from a variety of ecosystems show that loss or diminishment of top predator populations can have serious consequences for population and community dynamics and ecosystem...
Riparian ecosystems support mosaics of terrestrial and aquatic plant species that enhance regional biodiversity and provide important ecosystem services to humans. Species composition and the distribution of functional traits - traits that define species in terms of their ecological roles - within riparian plant communities are rapidly changing in response...
In western conifer-dominated forests where the abundance of old-growth stands is decreasing, species
such as the Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) may be useful as indicator species for monitoring the health
of old-growth systems because they are strongly associated with habitat characteristics associated with old growth
and are especially sensitive to...
1. Ecosystem invasibility is determined by combinations of environmental variables, invader attributes, disturbance regimes, competitive abilities of resident species and evolutionary history between residents and disturbance regimes. Understanding the relative importance of each factor is critical to limiting future invasions and restoring ecosystems.
2. We investigated factors potentially controlling Bromus...
The history of forest change processes is written into forest age and distribution and affects earth systems at many scales. No one data set has been able to capture the full forest disturbance and land use record through time, so in this study, we combined multiple lines of evidence to...
Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition has had substantial impacts on forests of North America. Managers seek to monitor deposition to identify areas of concern and establish critical loads, which define the amount of deposition that can be tolerated by ecosystems without causing substantial harm. We present a new monitoring approach that...