ecological dynamic regimes:
identification, characterization, and comparison
Understanding how ecosystems change over time is a subject that has aroused great interest among ecologists and naturalists throughout the ages. Despite the extensive knowledge on the subject, quantitatively characterizing the dynamics of ecological systems continues to be a challenge for ecologists today. This is due to the great complexity of ecological systems, which depend on the interaction between multiple factors, the variability and stochasticity of their dynamics, and the lack of data to evaluate the state of the systems over long periods of time.
In RESET, we have developed a methodological approach to identify, characterize, and compare the overall dynamics of ecological systems.
In our methodology, ecological systems are represented by a set of trajectories showing the temporal changes of their states for different sites. For example, a single trajectory can indicate how the abundances of all tree species in a forest have changed over time. In order to study overall changes in a particular ecological system taking into account variability among different sites (e.g., pine forests at different locations), we propose a comprehensive "toolbox" that allows identifying, characterizing, and comparing "ecological dynamic regimes" as groups of individual trajectories that exhibit similar changes in state variables. This "toolbox", implemented in the R package 'ecoregime', consists of a new algorithm to characterize each dynamic regime through one or more representative trajectories and a set of metrics to assess the variability and stochasticity of the dynamics and to compare two or more dynamic regimes.
This methodological approach constitutes an important advance in the study of the dynamics of ecological systems and their resilience to the current threats of climate change and the increasing incidence of extreme events, such as fires, droughts, and floods.
Do you want to know more?
In RESET, we have developed a methodological approach to identify, characterize, and compare the overall dynamics of ecological systems.
In our methodology, ecological systems are represented by a set of trajectories showing the temporal changes of their states for different sites. For example, a single trajectory can indicate how the abundances of all tree species in a forest have changed over time. In order to study overall changes in a particular ecological system taking into account variability among different sites (e.g., pine forests at different locations), we propose a comprehensive "toolbox" that allows identifying, characterizing, and comparing "ecological dynamic regimes" as groups of individual trajectories that exhibit similar changes in state variables. This "toolbox", implemented in the R package 'ecoregime', consists of a new algorithm to characterize each dynamic regime through one or more representative trajectories and a set of metrics to assess the variability and stochasticity of the dynamics and to compare two or more dynamic regimes.
This methodological approach constitutes an important advance in the study of the dynamics of ecological systems and their resilience to the current threats of climate change and the increasing incidence of extreme events, such as fires, droughts, and floods.
Do you want to know more?
ECOLOGICAL DYNAMIC REGIMES:
A KEY CONCEPT for assessing ecological resilience
In ecology, resilience refers to the ability of ecosystems to absorb changes in their components and processes while maintaining their functioning after disturbances. This concept implicitly assumes that ecosystems are not necessarily static. In reality, ecological systems are highly dynamic and undergo phases of development and reorganization. For example, a forest is continuously changing: trees grow in height and diameter changing the structure of the stand; when some trees die, they leave a gap that can be colonized by other species…
Despite the relevance, quantitatively characterizing ecosystem dynamics is still challenging. Thus, many empirical approaches quantifying resilience very often adopt the “balance of nature” paradigm assuming that ecological systems remain around a stationary average state that is taken as a reference.
Assessing ecological resilience in empirical ecology requires facing four important challenges:
In RESET, we presented a perspective on how empirical ecology can address these challenges by considering methodological frameworks based on Ecological Dynamic Regimes (EDRs).
The EDR framework allows inferring the stability landscape directly from the data and describing the attractors based on representative trajectories.
We provide a new perspective and metrics so ecological resilience can be evaluated when the system is affected by pulse disturbances, press disturbances, or interacting pulse and press disturbances.
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Despite the relevance, quantitatively characterizing ecosystem dynamics is still challenging. Thus, many empirical approaches quantifying resilience very often adopt the “balance of nature” paradigm assuming that ecological systems remain around a stationary average state that is taken as a reference.
Assessing ecological resilience in empirical ecology requires facing four important challenges:
- The type of attractor and transient dynamics (because ecosystems are not in a static stationary state).
- The stochasticity and variability of the dynamics (because multiple interacting factors lead to multiple dynamics).
- The dimensionality of the basins of attraction (because the effect of a disturbance not only depends on its magnitude but also its direction).
- The stability of the basins of attraction (because the relationships between ecosystem components and processes can change over time).
In RESET, we presented a perspective on how empirical ecology can address these challenges by considering methodological frameworks based on Ecological Dynamic Regimes (EDRs).
The EDR framework allows inferring the stability landscape directly from the data and describing the attractors based on representative trajectories.
We provide a new perspective and metrics so ecological resilience can be evaluated when the system is affected by pulse disturbances, press disturbances, or interacting pulse and press disturbances.
Do you want to know more?