You need JavaScript to view this

Dynamic plant ecology: the spectrum of vegetational change in space and time

Abstract

Different environmental forcing functions influence vegetational patterns and processes over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. On the micro-scale (1 year to 5 x 10/sup 3/ years, 1 m/sup 2/ to 10/sup 6/m/sup 2/) natural and anthropogenic disturbances affect establishment and succession of species populations. At the macro-scale (5 x 10/sup 3/ years to 10/sup 6/ years and 10/sup 6/m/sup 2/ to 10/sup 12/m/sup 2/) climatic changes influence regional vegetational processes that include migrations of species as well as displacement of ecosystems. Mega-scale phenomena such as plate tectonics, evolution of the biota and development of global patterns of vegetation occur on the time scale of > 10/sup 6/ years and over areas > 10/sup 12/m/sup 2/. Our knowledge of past vegetational changes resulting from Quaternary climatic change can be used to predict biotic responses to future climatic changes such as global warming that may be induced by increased carbon dioxide (CO/sub 2/) concentrations in the atmosphere. The time scale for future climatic warming may be much more rapid than that characterizing the early- to mid-Holocene, increasing the probability of rapid turnover in species composition, changes in local and regional dominance of important taxa, displacement of species ranges and  More>>
Publication Date:
Jan 01, 1983
Product Type:
Journal Article
Reference Number:
EDB-85-048737
Resource Relation:
Journal Name: Quat. Sci. Rev.; (United Kingdom); Journal Volume: 1
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; CLIMATES; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; PLANTS; BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION; CARBON DIOXIDE; ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION; ECOLOGY; FORECASTING; GREENHOUSE EFFECT; PALEONTOLOGY; PLATE TECTONICS; POPULATION DYNAMICS; QUATERNARY PERIOD; SPECIES DIVERSITY; CARBON COMPOUNDS; CARBON OXIDES; CENOZOIC ERA; CHALCOGENIDES; GEOLOGIC AGES; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; TECTONICS; 510100* - Environment, Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989); 500200 - Environment, Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
OSTI ID:
6102550
Research Organizations:
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville
Country of Origin:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: CODEN: QSRED
Submitting Site:
HEDB
Size:
Pages: 153-175
Announcement Date:
Jan 01, 1985

Citation Formats

Delcourt, H R, Delcourt, P A, and Webb, T III. Dynamic plant ecology: the spectrum of vegetational change in space and time. United Kingdom: N. p., 1983. Web.
Delcourt, H R, Delcourt, P A, & Webb, T III. Dynamic plant ecology: the spectrum of vegetational change in space and time. United Kingdom.
Delcourt, H R, Delcourt, P A, and Webb, T III. 1983. "Dynamic plant ecology: the spectrum of vegetational change in space and time." United Kingdom.
@misc{etde_6102550,
title = {Dynamic plant ecology: the spectrum of vegetational change in space and time}
author = {Delcourt, H R, Delcourt, P A, and Webb, T III}
abstractNote = {Different environmental forcing functions influence vegetational patterns and processes over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. On the micro-scale (1 year to 5 x 10/sup 3/ years, 1 m/sup 2/ to 10/sup 6/m/sup 2/) natural and anthropogenic disturbances affect establishment and succession of species populations. At the macro-scale (5 x 10/sup 3/ years to 10/sup 6/ years and 10/sup 6/m/sup 2/ to 10/sup 12/m/sup 2/) climatic changes influence regional vegetational processes that include migrations of species as well as displacement of ecosystems. Mega-scale phenomena such as plate tectonics, evolution of the biota and development of global patterns of vegetation occur on the time scale of > 10/sup 6/ years and over areas > 10/sup 12/m/sup 2/. Our knowledge of past vegetational changes resulting from Quaternary climatic change can be used to predict biotic responses to future climatic changes such as global warming that may be induced by increased carbon dioxide (CO/sub 2/) concentrations in the atmosphere. The time scale for future climatic warming may be much more rapid than that characterizing the early- to mid-Holocene, increasing the probability of rapid turnover in species composition, changes in local and regional dominance of important taxa, displacement of species ranges and local extinction of species. Integration of ecological and paleoecological perspectives on vegetational dynamics is fundamental to understanding and managing the biosphere.}
journal = []
volume = {1}
journal type = {AC}
place = {United Kingdom}
year = {1983}
month = {Jan}
}