PARENT SESSION
Wednesday, August 9, 8:00-11:30 am
Symposium 11 - From upstart to icon: Geographic Information Systems in plant population ecology: historical perspective and innovative approaches in presentation, analysis, and dissemination of data
Cotton Row, Mezzanine Level, Cook Convention Center
Organized by: SA Scobell (summer_scobell@hotmail.com) and CA Johnston
Scientists from diverse fields of ecology discuss innovative uses of Geographic Information Systems for plant population biology from the population to the regional scale with special attention given to the most effective means of using GIS to communicate important ecological information to the public.
GIS in ecology: history of useful analytical tools and new approaches.
Johnston, Carol*,1, 1 South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
ABSTRACT- GIS has become a standard part of an ecologist's toolbox since the first ESA symposium on GIS in 1988. Availability of digital data, software advances that simplify and augment GIS use, the popularization of web-based visualization tools, and advances in companion technologies such as GPS and remote sensing have put GIS in the mainstream of ecology research. Plant ecologists remain hampered by the lack of species-specific spatial data, but GIS-enabled advances in modeling plant-environment interactions are improving the ability to estimate plant distributions and forecast future changes in plant populations. Analytical capabilities that formerly had to be performed outside of a GIS, such as geostatistical analyses, are now bundled into GIS software. The visual impact of GIS representation remains a powerful means to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration, and to engage public participation in ecological issues. Miniaturization of sensors and handheld computers provide promise for realtime GIS use in field ecology. Anticipated advances and future needs for the application of GIS in plant population ecology are discussed.
Key words: GIS, plant ecology, spatial analysis