Interactions of Landuse and Ecosystem Structure and Function: A Case Study in the Central Great Plains

Abstract

Spatial pattern in ecological phenomena has been an important impetus for ideas about controls over ecosystem processes. Many of the significant theories about ecosystem function have been based on observation of landscape-scale pattern (Bormann and Likens, 1979; Watt, 1947), chrono-sequences (Whittaker, 1953; 1973), or geographic scale pattern (Burke et al., 1989; Jenny, 1930; McArthur, 1972; Sala et al., 1988). Such observations play two important roles. First, generalizations about large-scale, steady-state patterns provide hypotheses about mechanisms that control ecosystem function which can be tested at small scales and over short time intervals and can be used to generate mechanistic models. Second, such observations provide mathematical/statistical relationships that can be applied to predict future conditions under scenarios in which the controls change. An example is the Holdridge approach to predicting vegetation using climate-change scenarios (Emanuel et al., 1985; Holdridge, 1947).