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

一项重大的数据综合工作将结束一项 一项为期八年的研究， 山几个生态系统的结构和功能。圣 海伦在华盛顿州。 生态学研究已经 对三个国家的回收率和模式进行了评估， 生态系统类型圣海伦斯;针叶林，和次- 高山和高山草甸。 在过去的八年里，生态研究一直是 主要集中在四个领域：土壤过程和发展，植物 生理学、植物种群动态和昆虫种群 动力学 这些研究的数据将用于 开发一组子模型，这些子模型将在一个 "大师"模型的景观动态在这些"恢复" 生态系统 模型的结构将使它们可以 应用于不同的时空尺度。 此外该 模型将与地理信息系统（GIS）相连接， 它们将是地理上特定的。 地理参照过程模型的开发 将是生态学研究的一个重要进展， 将允许实地验证这些模型。 超出 对生态建模的进步做出了贡献，这项研究 将帮助我们了解生物系统如何响应， 从重大的灾难性扰动中恢复过来， 爆发。 这样的理解应该有助于我们设计管理 重建自然生态系统的战略， 各种与人类有关的破坏性事件 活动 布利斯博士和他的同事有良好的记录， 生产力 他们可获得的机构支持是 上级。

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.