Approaches for advancing scientific understanding of macrosystems
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Abstract
The emergence of macrosystems ecology (MSE), which focuses on regional- to continental-scale ecological patterns and processes, builds upon a history of long-term and broad-scale studies in ecology. Scientists face the difficulty of integrating the many elements that make up macrosystems, which consist of hierarchical processes at interacting spatial and temporal scales. Researchers must also identify the most relevant scales and variables to be considered, the required data resources, and the appropriate study design to provide the proper inferences. The large volumes of multi-thematic data often associated with macrosystem studies typically require validation, standardization, and assimilation. Finally, analytical approaches need to describe how cross-scale and hierarchical dynamics and interactions relate to macroscale phenomena. Here, we elaborate on some key methodological challenges of MSE research and discuss existing and novel approaches to meet them.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Approaches for advancing scientific understanding of macrosystems |
| Series title | Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment |
| DOI | 10.1890/130019 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Year Published | 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Ecological Society of America |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Leetown |
| Description | 9 p. |
| First page | 15 |
| Last page | 23 |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |