Vegetation Dynamics in Changing Environments.

Human-induced changes in atmospheric chemistry and meteorology have the potential to alter a broad array of ecosystem processes over a range of temporal and spatial scales. These may have direct and indirect effects that could influence management strategies and landscape response to disturbances associated with natural events and land use. The extent to which forecasted global changes are effective in altering local ecosystem properties will depend upon a variety of factors. In this paper, I address species life history traits and community and landscape properties that can be used by land managers to evaluate potential manifestations of global change on a local scale.

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Spatiotemporal variation in maturation: a case study with American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) on the Grand Bank off Newfoundland

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2020-0017 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 77 (10) ◽

pp. 1688-1699

Author(s):

Nan Zheng ◽

Matthew Robertson ◽

Noel Cadigan ◽

Fan Zhang ◽

Joanne Morgan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Spatial Variation ◽

Fisheries Management ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Spatiotemporal Variation ◽

Small Scale ◽

Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽

Hippoglossoides Platessoides

Fisheries management usually does not explicitly account for spatial variation in life history traits within populations. However, for some stocks this spatial variation may be substantial. We develop a spatiotemporal generalized linear model and fit the model to a long time series of maturation data for American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) on the Grand Bank off Newfoundland and Labrador. The spatiotemporal correlation structure improves estimation of small-scale spatiotemporal variation in maturity across locations and times with limited or few samples. We test how American plaice maturity varies at three different spatial resolutions. We find improvements in model fit when decreasing spatial scales for higher spatial resolution due to high levels of spatial heterogeneity in American plaice maturity at age and size. Modeling variation in life history traits at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales is necessary for understanding population dynamics and developing appropriate fisheries management strategies.

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Conserving Refugia: What Are We Protecting and Why?

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13020067 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 67

Author(s):

Maurizio Rossetto ◽

Robert Kooyman

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Evolutionary Dynamics ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Management Decision ◽

Buffer Zones ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

Short And Long Term ◽

Temporal And Spatial

Refugia play an important role in contributing to the conservation of species and communities by buffering environmental conditions over time. As large natural landscapes worldwide are declining and are increasingly threatened by extreme events, critical decision-making in biological conservation depends on improved understanding of what is being protected by refugia and why. We provide three novel definitions for refugia (i.e., persistent, future, and temporary) that incorporate ecological and evolutionary dynamics into a land management decision framework and are applicable across changing temporal and spatial settings. Definitions are supported by identification, core value, and management strategy criteria to assist short- and long-term decision-making. We illustrate these concepts using the World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests (WHGR) of eastern Australia, briefly exploring the spatial and temporal factors that can inform the development of conservation management strategies following the extreme fire events of 2019–2020. For the WHGR, available knowledge can be used to protect critical assets by recognizing and implementing buffer zones and corridor connections, and by undertaking emergency translocations of target species into safe areas that will act as future refugia. More broadly, we suggest that the identification and protection of ecological and evolutionary processes across varying temporal and spatial scales is central to securing improved biodiversity conservation outcomes.

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THE SZ4D INITIATIVE: AN EMERGING OPPORTUNITY FOR COORDINATED RESEARCH IN SUBDUCTION ZONE DEFORMATION ACROSS TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL SCALES

10.1130/abs/2019am-338373 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Harold J. Tobin ◽

◽

Alison R. Duvall

Keyword(s):

Subduction Zone ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

Zone Deformation

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Larval Feeding: Mechanisms, Rates, and Performance in Nature

10.1093/oso/9780198786962.003.0007 ◽

2018 ◽

Keyword(s):

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Size Spectrum ◽

Larval Feeding ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Feeding Mechanism ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

And Performance ◽

Bioenergetics Models ◽

Many Particles

Larvae of many marine invertebrates must capture and ingest particulate food in order to develop to metamorphosis. These larvae use only a few physical processes to capture particles, but implement these processes using diverse morphologies and behaviors. Detailed understanding of larval feeding mechanism permits investigators to make predictions about feeding performance, including the size spectrum of particles larvae can capture and the rates at which they can capture them. In nature, larvae are immersed in complex mixtures of edible particles of varying size, density, flavor, and nutritional quality, as well as many particles that are too large to ingest. Concentrations of all of these components vary on fine temporal and spatial scales. Mechanistic models linking larval feeding mechanism to performance can be combined with data on food availability in nature and integrated into broader bioenergetics models to yield increased understanding of the biology of larvae in complex natural habitats.

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Humans and the Environment

10.1093/oso/9780199590292.001.0001 ◽

2013 ◽

Keyword(s):

Spatial Scales ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Human Action ◽

Cultural Practice ◽

Environmental Archaeology ◽

Archaeological Data ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

Global And Local ◽

The Relationship ◽

The Way

The environment has always been a central concept for archaeologists and, although it has been conceived in many ways, its role in archaeological explanation has fluctuated from a mere backdrop to human action, to a primary factor in the understanding of society and social change. Archaeology also has a unique position as its base of interest places it temporally between geological and ethnographic timescales, spatially between global and local dimensions, and epistemologically between empirical studies of environmental change and more heuristic studies of cultural practice. Drawing on data from across the globe at a variety of temporal and spatial scales, this volume resituates the way in which archaeologists use and apply the concept of the environment. Each chapter critically explores the potential for archaeological data and practice to contribute to modern environmental issues, including problems of climate change and environmental degradation. Overall the volume covers four basic themes: archaeological approaches to the way in which both scientists and locals conceive of the relationship between humans and their environment, applied environmental archaeology, the archaeology of disaster, and new interdisciplinary directions.The volume will be of interest to students and established archaeologists, as well as practitioners from a range of applied disciplines.

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Imaging Spectroscopy for Conservation Applications

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13020292 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 292

Author(s):

Megan Seeley ◽

Gregory P. Asner

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Decision Making ◽

Case Studies ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Imaging Spectroscopy ◽

Remote Sensing Data ◽

Decision Makers ◽

High Spectral Resolution ◽

Conservation Areas ◽

Broad Array

As humans continue to alter Earth systems, conservationists look to remote sensing to monitor, inventory, and understand ecosystems and ecosystem processes at large spatial scales. Multispectral remote sensing data are commonly integrated into conservation decision-making frameworks, yet imaging spectroscopy, or hyperspectral remote sensing, is underutilized in conservation. The high spectral resolution of imaging spectrometers captures the chemistry of Earth surfaces, whereas multispectral satellites indirectly represent such surfaces through band ratios. Here, we present case studies wherein imaging spectroscopy was used to inform and improve conservation decision-making and discuss potential future applications. These case studies include a broad array of conservation areas, including forest, dryland, and marine ecosystems, as well as urban applications and methane monitoring. Imaging spectroscopy technology is rapidly developing, especially with regard to satellite-based spectrometers. Improving on and expanding existing applications of imaging spectroscopy to conservation, developing imaging spectroscopy data products for use by other researchers and decision-makers, and pioneering novel uses of imaging spectroscopy will greatly expand the toolset for conservation decision-makers.

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8-Day and Daily Maximum and Minimum Air Temperature Estimation via Machine Learning Method on a Climate Zone to Global Scale

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13122355 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 2355

Author(s):

Linglin Zeng ◽

Yuchao Hu ◽

Rui Wang ◽

Xiang Zhang ◽

Guozhang Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Scale ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Model Performance ◽

Global Scale ◽

Scale Model ◽

Validation Dataset ◽

Daily Maximum ◽

Climate Zone ◽

Temporal And Spatial

Air temperature (Ta) is a required input in a wide range of applications, e.g., agriculture. Land Surface Temperature (LST) products from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are widely used to estimate Ta. Previous studies of these products in Ta estimation, however, were generally applied in small areas and with a small number of meteorological stations. This study designed both temporal and spatial experiments to estimate 8-day and daily maximum and minimum Ta (Tmax and Tmin) on three spatial scales: climate zone, continental and global scales from 2009 to 2018, using the Random Forest (RF) method based on MODIS LST products and other auxiliary data. Factors contributing to the relation between LST and Ta were determined based on physical models and equations. Temporal and spatial experiments were defined by the rules of dividing the training and validation datasets for the RF method, in which the stations selected in the training dataset were all included or not in the validation dataset. The RF model was first trained and validated on each spatial scale, respectively. On a global scale, model accuracy with a determination coefficient (R2) > 0.96 and root mean square error (RMSE) < 1.96 °C and R2 > 0.95 and RMSE < 2.55 °C was achieved for 8-day and daily Ta estimations, respectively, in both temporal and spatial experiments. Then the model was trained and cross-validated on each spatial scale. The results showed that the data size and station distribution of the study area were the main factors influencing the model performance at different spatial scales. Finally, the spatial patterns of the model performance and variable importance were analyzed. Both daytime and nighttime LST had a significant contribution in the 8-day Tmax estimation on all the three spatial scales; while their contribution in daily Tmax estimation varied over different continents or climate zones. This study was expected to improve our understanding of Ta estimation in terms of accuracy variations and influencing variables on different spatial and temporal scales. The future work mainly includes identifying underlying mechanisms of estimation errors and the uncertainty sources of Ta estimation from a local to a global scale.

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Sequential modelling of the Earth’s core magnetic field

Earth Planets and Space ◽

10.1186/s40623-020-01230-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Guillaume Ropp ◽

Vincent Lesur ◽

Julien Baerenzung ◽

Matthias Holschneider

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Field ◽

Prior Information ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Model Parameters ◽

International Geomagnetic Reference Field ◽

The Earth ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

Different Sources ◽

Original Approach ◽

Modelling Approach

Abstract We describe a new, original approach to the modelling of the Earth’s magnetic field. The overall objective of this study is to reliably render fast variations of the core field and its secular variation. This method combines a sequential modelling approach, a Kalman filter, and a correlation-based modelling step. Sources that most significantly contribute to the field measured at the surface of the Earth are modelled. Their separation is based on strong prior information on their spatial and temporal behaviours. We obtain a time series of model distributions which display behaviours similar to those of recent models based on more classic approaches, particularly at large temporal and spatial scales. Interesting new features and periodicities are visible in our models at smaller time and spatial scales. An important aspect of our method is to yield reliable error bars for all model parameters. These errors, however, are only as reliable as the description of the different sources and the prior information used are realistic. Finally, we used a slightly different version of our method to produce candidate models for the thirteenth edition of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field.

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Dissecting the turbulent weather driven by mechanical AGN feedback

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/staa2747 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 498 (4) ◽

pp. 4983-5002

Author(s):

D Wittor ◽

M Gaspari

Keyword(s):

Feedback Loop ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Cosmic Time ◽

Massive Galaxies ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

Lagrangian Tracers ◽

Field Unit ◽

Integral Field ◽

Gaseous Halo

ABSTRACT Turbulence in the intracluster, intragroup, and circumgalactic medium plays a crucial role in the self-regulated feeding and feedback loop of central supermassive black holes. We dissect the 3D turbulent ‘weather’ in a high-resolution Eulerian simulation of active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback, shown to be consistent with multiple multiwavelength observables of massive galaxies. We carry out post-processing simulations of Lagrangian tracers to track the evolution of enstrophy, a proxy of turbulence, and its related sinks and sources. This allows us to isolate in depth the physical processes that determine the evolution of turbulence during the recurring strong and weak AGN feedback events, which repeat self-similarly over the Gyr evolution. We find that the evolution of enstrophy/turbulence in the gaseous halo is highly dynamic and variable over small temporal and spatial scales, similar to the chaotic weather processes on Earth. We observe major correlations between the enstrophy amplification and recurrent AGN activity, especially via its kinetic power. While advective and baroclinc motions are always subdominant, stretching motions are the key sources of the amplification of enstrophy, in particular along the jet/cocoon, while rarefactions decrease it throughout the bulk of the volume. This natural self-regulation is able to preserve, as ensemble, the typically observed subsonic turbulence during cosmic time, superposed by recurrent spikes via impulsive anisotropic AGN features (wide outflows, bubbles, cocoon shocks). This study facilitates the preparation and interpretation of the thermo-kinematical observations enabled by new revolutionary X-ray integral field unit telescopes, such as XRISM and Athena.

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