PARENT SESSION
Organized Oral Session 23: The use of spatially explicit data in ecological investigations
Organizer(s): K Conrad, J Holland, and L Rew
Tuesday, August 9, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Meeting Room 511 C, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Linking the spatial patterns of organisms to ecosystem function and management: Insights from semi-arid environments.
Maestre, Fernando*,1, Escudero, Adrian2, Reynolds, James1, 1 Duke University, Durham, NC2 Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Mostoles, Spain
ABSTRACT- Numerous theoretical and modelling studies have demonstrated the ecological significance of spatial patterning of organisms on ecosystem dynamics. However, there is a paucity of empirical evidence that quantitatively shows how changes in the spatial patterns of a community -independent of co-occurring attributes- are directly related to ecosystem functioning. To fill this gap, we conducted a series of field experiments in multiple semi-arid environments (degraded shrubland, steppes dominated by Stipa tenacissima and gypsum shrublands) to evaluate if the spatial patterns of the dominant biotic elements in the community are linked to ecosystem function, and if these patterns can be used to improve ecosystem management. In the gypsum shrubland, we found a significant, direct relationship between the spatial pattern of the biological soil crusts and surrogates of ecosystem functioning (soil bulk density and respiration). In the semi-arid steppes we found a significant positive relationship between the spatial pattern of the perennial plant community and the water status of Stipa tenacissima. In a degraded shrubland, the survival of an introduced population of the shrub Pistacia lentiscus showed marked spatial patterns, which were related to the spatial patterns of different soil properties. These results provide empirical evidence on the importance of spatial patterns for ecosystem functioning. Furthermore, we show how our findings can be used to improve the management of degraded ecosystems in semi-arid areas.
Key words: spatial pattern, ecosystem function, semi-arid, management