Self-Organizing Processes in Landscape Pattern and Resilience : A Review
Author
Source
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-18, 18 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2012-11-26
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
18
Main Subjects
Earth Science , Water and Environment
Abstract EN
Environmental conditions influence the way different types of vegetation are distributed on various scales from the landscape to the globe.
However, vegetation does not simply respond passively but may influence its environment in ways that shape those distributions.
On the landscape scale, feedbacks from vegetation can lead to patterns that are not easily interpreted as merely reflecting external abiotic conditions.
For example, sharp ecotones exist between two vegetation types, even if the basic abiotic gradient is slight, somewhere along the gradient.
These are observed in transitions between numerous pairs of ecosystem types, such as tree/grassland, tree/mire, tree tundra, and halophytic plants/glycophytic plants.
More complex spatial vegetation patterns may also exist, such as alternating stripes or irregular patterns of either two types of vegetation or vegetation and bare soil.
One purpose of this paper is to emphasize that these two types of patterns, sharp ecotones between vegetation types and large-scale landscape patterns of vegetation, both have a common basis in the concept of bistability, in which alternative stable states can occur on an area of land.
Another purpose is to note that an understanding of the basis of these patterns may ultimately help in management decisions.
American Psychological Association (APA)
DeAngelis, Donald L.. 2012. Self-Organizing Processes in Landscape Pattern and Resilience : A Review. ISRN Ecology،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-18.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-459464
Modern Language Association (MLA)
DeAngelis, Donald L.. Self-Organizing Processes in Landscape Pattern and Resilience : A Review. ISRN Ecology No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-18.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-459464
American Medical Association (AMA)
DeAngelis, Donald L.. Self-Organizing Processes in Landscape Pattern and Resilience : A Review. ISRN Ecology. 2012. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-18.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-459464
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-459464