Macroscale and Microscale Development of Ecological Systems Along Disturbance Gradients on Mount St. Helens: Synthesis of Research

一项重要的数据综合工作将结束一项为期八年的研究，该研究是关于一次大火山喷发对华盛顿州圣海伦斯山上几个生态系统的结构和功能的影响。对圣海伦斯山三种生态系统类型的恢复速度和模式进行了生态学研究；针叶林、亚高山和高山草甸。在过去的八年中，生态学研究主要集中在四个方面：土壤过程与发育、植物生理学、植物种群动态和昆虫种群动态。从这些研究中获得的数据将用于开发一套子模型，这些子模型将在这些“恢复”生态系统的景观动态“主”模型中联系在一起。这些模型的结构将使它们能够在空间和时间的各种尺度上应用。此外，这些模型将与地理信息系统（GIS）联系起来，使它们具有地理上的特殊性。地理参考过程模型的发展将是生态学研究的一个重要进展，因为它将允许对这些模型进行实地验证。除了对生态模型的进步做出贡献外，这项研究还将帮助我们了解生物系统如何应对火山爆发等重大灾难性干扰并从中恢复过来。这样的认识将有助于我们制定管理策略，在与人类活动有关的各种破坏性事件发生后重建自然生态系统。布利斯博士和他的同事在工作效率方面有着良好的记录。他们可以得到的制度支持是优越的。

A major data synthesis effort will bring to a close an eight-year study of the effects of a major volcanic eruption on the structure and function of several ecosystems on Mt. St. Helens in the state of Washington. Ecological studies have been conducted on the rates and patterns of recovery of three ecosystem types on Mt. St. Helens; coniferous forests, and sub- alpine and alpine meadows. During the past eight years the ecological research has been focussed in four areas: soil processes and development, plant physiology, plant population dynamics, and insect population dynamics. Data derived from these studies will be used to develop a set of sub-models that will be linked together in a "master" model of landscape dynamics in these "recovering" ecosystems. The models will be structured such that they can be applied at a variety scales in space and time. In addition, the models will be linked to a geographic information system (GIS) so that they will be geographically specific. The development of geographically-referenced process models will be an important advance in ecological research because it will permit field-based validation of these models. Beyond contribution to advances in ecological modeling, this research will help us to understand how biological systems respond to and recover from major catastrophic disturbances such as volcanic eruptions. Such understanding should help us to devise management strategies for reconstructing natural ecosystems following various kinds of destructive events associated with human activities. Dr. Bliss and his colleagues have good records of productivity. The institutional support available to them is superior.