Scaling up population dynamics: integrating theory and data |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Brett?A?MelbourneEmail author Peter?Chesson |
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Institution: | (1) Center for Population Biology, University of California, Storer Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA;(2) Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA |
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Abstract: | How to scale up from local-scale interactions to regional-scale dynamics is a critical issue in field ecology. We show how
to implement a systematic approach to the problem of scaling up, using scale transition theory. Scale transition theory shows
that dynamics on larger spatial scales differ from predictions based on the local dynamics alone because of an interaction
between local-scale nonlinear dynamics and spatial variation in density or the environment. Based on this theory, a systematic
approach to scaling up has four steps: (1) derive a model to translate the effects of local dynamics to the regional scale,
and to identify key interactions between nonlinearity and spatial variation, (2) measure local-scale model parameters to determine
nonlinearities at local scales, (3) measure spatial variation, and (4) combine nonlinearity and variation measures to obtain
the scale transition. We illustrate the approach, with an example from benthic stream ecology of caddisflies living in riffles.
By sampling from a simulated system, we show how collecting the appropriate data at local (riffle) scales to measure nonlinearities,
combined with measures of spatial variation, leads to the correct inference for dynamics at the larger scale of the stream.
The approach provides a way to investigate the mechanisms and consequences of changes in population dynamics with spatial
scale using a relatively small amount of field data. |
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Keywords: | Heterogeneity Nonlinear dynamics Scale Spatial ecology |
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