Eric Post
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198507499
- eISBN:
- 9780191709845
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507499.003.0015
- Subject:
- Biology, Aquatic Biology
Temporal lags in the response of populations to climatic variation associated with the NAO are widespread in both terrestrial and marine environments. The existence of both immediate and lagged ...
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Temporal lags in the response of populations to climatic variation associated with the NAO are widespread in both terrestrial and marine environments. The existence of both immediate and lagged responses to climate presents conceptual and analytical challenges to the study of the ecological consequences of large-scale climatic variability, as well as to the ability to forecast population responses to future climatic change. This chapter discusses the influence of atmospheric processes, life history, and trophic interactions on time lags. It argues that the existence of time lags in a multitude of systems can be exploited to one obvious advantage: prediction. Hence, an empirically-derived basis for improving conceptual and analytical understanding of lagged responses to climate should prove valuable in the pursuit of scientifically robust predictions of population and community response to future climate changes.Less
Temporal lags in the response of populations to climatic variation associated with the NAO are widespread in both terrestrial and marine environments. The existence of both immediate and lagged responses to climate presents conceptual and analytical challenges to the study of the ecological consequences of large-scale climatic variability, as well as to the ability to forecast population responses to future climatic change. This chapter discusses the influence of atmospheric processes, life history, and trophic interactions on time lags. It argues that the existence of time lags in a multitude of systems can be exploited to one obvious advantage: prediction. Hence, an empirically-derived basis for improving conceptual and analytical understanding of lagged responses to climate should prove valuable in the pursuit of scientifically robust predictions of population and community response to future climate changes.
Donald S. McLusky and Michael Elliott
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198525080
- eISBN:
- 9780191728198
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198525080.003.0007
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter looks at the assessment of biological change due to man's activities. It asks: what is normal situation and what are the limits of expected variability? Has there been a change from the ...
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This chapter looks at the assessment of biological change due to man's activities. It asks: what is normal situation and what are the limits of expected variability? Has there been a change from the normal situation and, if so, can that change be quantified and statistically tested? Is the degree of change significant and can it be related to one particular stress, or general environmental perturbations? An estuarine ecosystem health assessment (or monitoring) programme requires an analysis of the main processes of the ecosystem and the identification of known or potential stresses. In order to be scientifically valid, it requires the development of hypotheses about how those stresses may affect the ecosystem, followed by the identification of measures of environmental quality and ecosystem health, needed to test the hypotheses.Less
This chapter looks at the assessment of biological change due to man's activities. It asks: what is normal situation and what are the limits of expected variability? Has there been a change from the normal situation and, if so, can that change be quantified and statistically tested? Is the degree of change significant and can it be related to one particular stress, or general environmental perturbations? An estuarine ecosystem health assessment (or monitoring) programme requires an analysis of the main processes of the ecosystem and the identification of known or potential stresses. In order to be scientifically valid, it requires the development of hypotheses about how those stresses may affect the ecosystem, followed by the identification of measures of environmental quality and ecosystem health, needed to test the hypotheses.
Linda L. Wallace (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300100488
- eISBN:
- 9780300127751
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300100488.001.0001
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Nature
This book presents the history and aftereffects of the fires of 1988 that swept through the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem (GYE) describes the chronology of the fires, the areas burned, and the extent ...
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This book presents the history and aftereffects of the fires of 1988 that swept through the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem (GYE) describes the chronology of the fires, the areas burned, and the extent of fire in those regions. One of the biggest concerns of the public was how individual plants and animals fared. Thinking hierarchically, we know that the patterns seen at the community and ecosystem levels are the result of mechanistic responses at the individual and population levels. It is important to know how forest trees and grass-land species responded. Some of the greatest public concern was for large animals, particularly Elk. Elk mortality and population responses after the fires took some surprising turns. The GYE is an extremely heterogeneous environment. Plant communities provide essential habitat for the megaherbivores of the GYE as well. Although we know numbers and how the populations of these animals have changed since the fires, it is difficult to determine the mechanisms behind these changes. Using simulation models and comparing their results with reality can yield important insights as to the mechanisms governing ungulate response to fire. The sediments of Yellowstone's lakes provide an opportunity to reconstruct the vegetation and fire history of the region back to the time of late-Pleistocene deglaciation.Less
This book presents the history and aftereffects of the fires of 1988 that swept through the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem (GYE) describes the chronology of the fires, the areas burned, and the extent of fire in those regions. One of the biggest concerns of the public was how individual plants and animals fared. Thinking hierarchically, we know that the patterns seen at the community and ecosystem levels are the result of mechanistic responses at the individual and population levels. It is important to know how forest trees and grass-land species responded. Some of the greatest public concern was for large animals, particularly Elk. Elk mortality and population responses after the fires took some surprising turns. The GYE is an extremely heterogeneous environment. Plant communities provide essential habitat for the megaherbivores of the GYE as well. Although we know numbers and how the populations of these animals have changed since the fires, it is difficult to determine the mechanisms behind these changes. Using simulation models and comparing their results with reality can yield important insights as to the mechanisms governing ungulate response to fire. The sediments of Yellowstone's lakes provide an opportunity to reconstruct the vegetation and fire history of the region back to the time of late-Pleistocene deglaciation.
