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Ecosystem management requires a planning and decision-making process that places land use in its appropriate ecological context. Because ecological assessments must be conducted at various spatial scales and across jurisdictional boundaries, approaches to assessment must be compatible and consistent with each other. A Guidebook for Integrated Ecological Assessment analyzes methods and provides standards and protocols for assessment and the integration of data.
List of contents
1 Basic Principles.- 1 An Overview of Ecological Assessment Principles and Applications.- 2 A Theoretical Framework for Ecological Assessment.- 3 Ecosystem Characterization and Ecological Assessments.- 4 Adaptive Ecosystem Assessment and Management: The Path of Last Resort?.- 2 Information Management.- 5 Data Acquisition.- 6 Sampling Design and Statistical Inference for Ecological Assessment.- 7 General Data Collection and Sampling Design Considerations for Integrated Regional Ecological Assessments.- 8 Ecological Data Storage, Management, and Dissemination.- 9 Integration of Physical, Biological, and Socioeconomic Information.- 3 Basic Techniques.- 10 Remote Sensing Applied to Ecosystem Management.- 11 Geographic Information Science and Ecological Assessment.- 12 Decision Support for Ecosystem Management and Ecological Assessments.- 4 Analytical Methods: Concepts.- 13 Elements of Spatial Data Analysis in Ecological Assessments.- 14 Applications of Fractal Geometry and Percolation Theory to Landscape Analysis and Assessments.- 15 Fuzzy Statistical and Modeling Approach to Ecological Assessments.- 16 Measuring Ecosystem Values.- 17 Economic Linkages to Natural Resources.- 5 Analytical Methods: Applications.- 18 Ecosystem Structure and Function Modeling.- 19 Methods for Determining Historical Range of Variability.- 20 Representativeness Assessments.- 21 Methods of Economic Impact Analysis.- 6 Ecosystem Characterization.- 22 Elements of Ecological Land Classifications for Ecological Assessments.- 23 Dynamic Terrestrial Ecosystem Patterns and Processes.- 24 Ecological Classification and Mapping of Aquatic Systems.- 25 Geomorphic Patterns, Processes, and Perspectives in Aquatic Assessment.- 26 Assessment of Biotic Patterns in Freshwater Ecosystems.- 27 Characterizing the Human Imprint on Landscapes for Ecological Assessment.- 28 Assessing Human Processes in Society: Environment Interactions.- 29 Mapping Patterns of Human Use and Potential Resource Conflicts on Public Lands.- 7 Case Studies.- 30 The Great Lakes Ecological Assessment.- 31 Upper Mississippi River Adaptive Environmental Assessment.- 32 Southern Appalachian Case Study.- 33 Northern Forest Lands Case Study.- 34 Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project.- 8 Implementation Strategies.- 35 Ecological Assessments and Implementing Ecosystem Management: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Road Ahead.
Summary
Ecosystem management requires a planning and decision-making process that places land use in its appropriate ecological context. Because ecological assessments must be conducted at various spatial scales and across jurisdictional boundaries, approaches to assessment must be compatible and consistent with each other. A Guidebook for Integrated Ecological Assessment analyzes methods and provides standards and protocols for assessment and the integration of data.
Additional text
From the reviews:
"A guidebook for integrated ecological assessments … provides a useful and well-organized collection of contributions that may help standardize ecological assessment procedures. … the chapters are very well written … the figures and tables efficiently illustrate main points in the chapter. The references and suggested reading sections at the end of each chapter provide a wealth of informative resources … . This book would be a very useful resource for those participating in, organizing, or just interested in ecological assessment." (Audrey L. Mayer, Ecology, Vol. 82 (12), 2001)
"Ecological assessments are a critical component of land management planning and regulatory decision-making. … the main intent of this book is to describe topics with particular importance to strategic integrated ecological assessments at a regional or sub-regional scale. … the book provides both theoretical and practical advice for future ecological assessments given specific land-use planning objectives." (Giancarlo Barbiroli, International Journal of Environment and Pollution, Vol. 18 (1), 2002)
"This compendium includes some practical information on data acquisition, including sampling design and analysis, the use of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems. ... All of these processes are brought together in a series of case studies at the close of the book … providing apt illustrations of the application of the ideas outlined." (Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, Vol. 33 (1), 2002)
Report
From the reviews:
"A guidebook for integrated ecological assessments ... provides a useful and well-organized collection of contributions that may help standardize ecological assessment procedures. ... the chapters are very well written ... the figures and tables efficiently illustrate main points in the chapter. The references and suggested reading sections at the end of each chapter provide a wealth of informative resources ... . This book would be a very useful resource for those participating in, organizing, or just interested in ecological assessment." (Audrey L. Mayer, Ecology, Vol. 82 (12), 2001)
"Ecological assessments are a critical component of land management planning and regulatory decision-making. ... the main intent of this book is to describe topics with particular importance to strategic integrated ecological assessments at a regional or sub-regional scale. ... the book provides both theoretical and practical advice for future ecological assessments given specific land-use planning objectives." (Giancarlo Barbiroli, International Journal of Environment and Pollution, Vol. 18 (1), 2002)
"This compendium includes some practical information on data acquisition, including sampling design and analysis, the use of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems. ... All of these processes are brought together in a series of case studies at the close of the book ... providing apt illustrations of the application of the ideas outlined." (Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, Vol. 33 (1), 2002)
