Doctoral Dissertation Research in Geography and Regional Science

地理学与区域科学博士论文研究

• 批准号: 8807552
• 负责人: Brian Murton
• 金额: $ 1.59万
• 依托单位: University of Hawaii
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1988
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1988-12-15 至 1992-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8807552&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Geography; Regional

Nature reserves have been recognized as an important means of preserving a diverse range of biological species, but such protected areas have generally been selected on a site-by-site basis. Ecologists and biogeographers have a growing sense that ecological sustainability and adaptability also are important criteria that must be met to maximize the benefits of reserves, and that a complementary set of reserves (rather than an unrelated collection of independent sites) offers the greatest potential for preserving the largest number and broadest range of plant and animal species. This doctoral dissertation research project will test the hypothesis that a system of nature reserves, which is systematically selected using prevailing principles of landscape ecology and conservation biology, will be more effective in preserving biological species than will traditional means of selecting reserves one at a time. The hypothesis will be tested through development of a small-scale geographic information system (GIS) into which data for a case study area on two large islands in Western Samoa will be loaded. These data on vegetation, animals, soils, other physical characteristics, human features, and land ownership will be analyzed to determine a set of core sites and connecting corridors on each island to constitute the bases of systems of nature reserves. The resulted sets of reserves will be systematically compared with each other, with randomly generated hypothetical networks, and with networks based on research by other scholars. These analyses then will provide the basis for development of general geographic models to describe the locales that should be included in a system of reserves that best preserves flora and fauna. The practical results of this research will include the development of a specific plan for nature reserves for possible implementation by the Western Samoan government. Of far greater long- term benefit, however, is the specification of a general geographic model for species preservation through a network of nature reserves. This model can be simulated for other sites using independent data in order to determine its generalizability, therefore providing a broader base of understanding of how systems of nature reserves can alter rates of change among plant and animal species.

自然保护区已被认为是保护各种生物物种的重要手段，但此类保护区一般是逐个地点选择的。生态学家和生物地理学家越来越意识到，生态可持续性和适应性也是最大限度地发挥保护区效益所必须满足的重要标准，一套互补的保护区(而不是一组无关的独立地点)为保护最大数量和最广泛的动植物物种提供了最大的潜力。这一博士论文研究项目将检验这样一种假设，即利用景观生态学和保护生物学的主流原理系统地选择自然保护区系统，将比传统的逐个选择保护区的方法在保护生物物种方面更有效。将通过开发一个小规模地理信息系统来检验这一假设，西萨摩亚两个大岛上的一个案例研究区的数据将载入该系统。这些关于植被、动物、土壤、其他物理特征、人类特征和土地所有权的数据将被分析，以确定每个岛屿上的一组核心地点和连接走廊，以构成自然保护区系统的基础。所得到的储量集合将与随机生成的假设网络以及基于其他学者研究的网络进行系统比较。然后，这些分析将为开发一般地理模型提供基础，以描述应包括在最好地保存动植物的保护区系统中的地点。这项研究的实际成果将包括为西萨摩亚政府可能实施的自然保护区制定一项具体计划。然而，更大的长期好处是，通过自然保护区网络来规范物种保护的一般地理模型。这个模型可以用独立的数据对其他地点进行模拟，以确定其普适性，从而为理解自然保护区系统如何改变动植物物种的变化率提供了更广泛的基础。