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From plot to landscape scale: linking tropical biodiversity measurements across spatial scales
Author(s) -
DeFries Ruth,
Rovero Francesco,
Wright Patricia,
Ahumada Jorge,
Andelman Sandy,
Brandon Katrina,
Dempewolf Jan,
Hansen Andrew,
Hewson Jenny,
Liu Jianguo
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
frontiers in ecology and the environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.918
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1540-9309
pISSN - 1540-9295
DOI - 10.1890/080104
Subject(s) - biodiversity , environmental resource management , geography , plot (graphics) , scale (ratio) , tanzania , environmental science , spatial ecology , national park , ecology , cartography , biology , environmental planning , statistics , mathematics , archaeology
Quantitative measurements of changes in tropical biodiversity are sparse, despite wide agreement that maintaining biodiversity is a key conservation goal. Pan‐tropical networks to systematically measure plot‐level biodiversity are currently being developed to close this gap. We propose that a key component of such networks is the monitoring of human activities at broader scales around plots, to enable interpretation of biodiversity trends. This monitoring goal raises questions about the spatial extent and variables needed to capture interactions between human activities and biodiversity at multiple scales. We suggest a pragmatic approach to delineate and monitor a “zone of interaction” around biodiversity measurement sites to bridge across these scales. We identify the hydrologic, biological, and human interactions that connect local‐scale measurements with broader‐scale processes. We illustrate the concept with case studies in the Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania and Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar; however, the framework applies to other biodiversity measurement sites and monitoring networks as well.