Open AccessLandscape ecosystems of the University of Michigan Biological Station: Ecosystem diversity and ground-cover diversity
Author(s) -
Douglas R. Pearsall
Publication year - 1995
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/569060
Subject(s) - ecosystem , ecosystem diversity , ecosystem ecology , vegetation (pathology) , novel ecosystem , ecology , geography , forest ecology , environmental resource management , biodiversity , diversity (politics) , baseline (sea) , environmental science , climate change , terrestrial ecosystem , biology , sociology , medicine , pathology , anthropology , fishery
The aim of this research is to provide an understanding of the three-dimensional (air-earth-organism) units of the landscape of the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) that the author calls landscape ecosystem types, or simply ecosystems. Specifically, he has focused on the kinds, spatial location and patterns, and composition (physiography, soil, vegetation) of the local landscape ecosystem types of UMBS and Colonial Point. Future research on the functioning of these ecosystems together with inventories of their plant and animal life will add significantly to the landscape ecology research that has been initiated. A major reason for this research is to provide the conceptual basis and baseline data for understanding ecosystem change. Although it is popular to speak of climate change, entire ecosystems change; some components change faster than others