Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology

Human activities impact the environment and modify the cycles of important elements such as carbon and nitrogen from local to global scales. In order to maintain long-term and sustainable use of the worlds natural resources it is important that we understand how and why ecosystems respond to such changes. This book explains the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, using examples ranging from the Arctic to the tropics to demonstrate how they react under differing conditions. This knowledge is developed into a set of principles that can be used as starting points for analysing questions about ecosystem behaviour. Ecosystem dynamics are also considered, illustrating how ecosystems develop and change over a range of temporal and spatial scales and how they react to perturbations, whether natural or man-made. Throughout the book, descriptive studies are merged with simple mathematical models to reinforce the concepts discussed and aid the development of predictive tools.

Spis treści:
Preface
Prologue, environmental changes and ecosystem effects – two historical examples
Part I. History and Concepts
1. History of ecosystem research and ecosystem knowledge
2. Ecology, ecosystem and ecosystem science
3. Ecosystem ecology – cornerstones and scientific methodology
Part II. Ecosystem Structure and Function
4. Ecosystem structure – vegetation and soil
5. Energy and water
6. Plant production
7. Soil organic matter processes
8. Organisms and ecosystem processes
9. Element cycles
10. Principles
Part III. Ecosystem Dynamics at Different Time Scales
11. Tectonic to orbital changes
12. Millennial to centennial or postglacial changes
13. Centennial to annual changes
Part IV. Applications
14. Air pollution and forest ecosystems
15. Global change
Epilogue, society and terrestrial ecosystem ecology
Appendices, Appendix 1. Abbreviations
Appendix 2. Glossary
Appendix 3. Some useful values and symbols used to represent them
Appendix 4. Data on selected ecosystems
Index.