Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology

Preface......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
Part I: Context......Page 16
Overview of Ecosystem Ecology......Page 18
History of Ecosystem Ecology......Page 22
Ecosystem Structure......Page 25
Controls over Ecosystem Processes......Page 26
Human-Caused Changes in Earth’s Ecosystems......Page 28
Summary......Page 31
Additional Reading......Page 32
Earth’s Energy Budget......Page 33
The Atmospheric System......Page 36
The Oceans......Page 43
Landform Effects on Climate......Page 46
Vegetation Influences on Climate......Page 47
Temporal Variability in Climate......Page 49
Relationship of Climate to Ecosystem Distribution and Structure......Page 56
Review Questions......Page 59
Additional Reading......Page 60
Controls over Soil Formation......Page 61
Controls over Soil Loss......Page 65
Development of Soil Profiles......Page 68
Soil Horizons and Soil Classification......Page 73
Soil Properties and Ecosystem Functioning......Page 76
Summary......Page 81
Additional Reading......Page 82
Part II: Mechanisms......Page 84
Introduction......Page 86
Surface Energy Balance......Page 88
Water Inputs to Ecosystems......Page 92
Water Movements Within Ecosystems......Page 93
Water Losses from Ecosystems......Page 104
Summary......Page 110
Additional Reading......Page 111
Overview......Page 112
Photosynthetic Pathways......Page 113
Net Photosynthesis by Individual Leaves......Page 120
Gross Primary Production......Page 130
Review Questions......Page 136
Additional Reading......Page 137
Overview......Page 138
Plant Respiration......Page 140
Net Primary Production......Page 142
Allocation......Page 147
Tissue Turnover......Page 151
Global Distribution of Biomass and NPP......Page 152
Net Ecosystem Production......Page 155
Summary......Page 163
Additional Reading......Page 164
Overview......Page 166
Litter Fragmentation......Page 167
Chemical Alteration......Page 168
Temporal and Spatial Heterogeneity of Decomposition......Page 172
Factors Controlling Decomposition......Page 174
Long-Term Storage of Soil Organic Matter......Page 184
Decomposition at the Ecosystem Scale......Page 185
Review Questions......Page 189
Additional Reading......Page 190
Overview......Page 191
Nutrient Movement to the Root......Page 192
Nutrient Uptake......Page 195
Nutrient Use......Page 204
Nutrient Loss from Plants......Page 206
Summary......Page 209
Additional Reading......Page 210
Overview......Page 212
Nitrogen Inputs to Ecosystems......Page 213
Internal Cycling of Nitrogen......Page 217
Pathways of Nitrogen Loss......Page 226
Other Element Cycles......Page 230
Review Questions......Page 237
Additional Reading......Page 238
Ecosystem Properties......Page 239
Oceans......Page 243
Lakes......Page 251
Streams and Rivers......Page 253
Review Questions......Page 257
Additional Reading......Page 258
Overview......Page 259
Plant-Based Trophic Systems......Page 261
Integrated Food Webs......Page 276
Review Questions......Page 278
Additional Reading......Page 279
Introduction......Page 280
Overview......Page 281
Species Effects on Ecosystem Processes......Page 283
Species Interactions and Ecosystem Processes......Page 288
Diversity Effects on Ecosystem Processes......Page 289
Review Questions......Page 292
Additional Reading......Page 293
Part III: Patterns......Page 294
Fluctuations in Ecosystem Processes......Page 296
Disturbance......Page 300
Succession......Page 303
Temporal Scaling of Ecological Processes......Page 316
Review Questions......Page 318
Additional Reading......Page 319
Concepts of Landscape Heterogeneity......Page 320
Causes of Spatial Heterogeneity......Page 322
Patch Interactions on the Landscape......Page 329
Human Land Use Change and Landscape Heterogeneity......Page 336
Spatial Heterogeneity and Scaling......Page 340
Review Questions......Page 345
Additional Reading......Page 346
Part IV: Integration......Page 348
The Global Carbon Cycle......Page 350
The Global Methane Budget......Page 357
The Global Nitrogen Cycle......Page 358
The Global Phosphorus Cycle......Page 362
The Global Sulfur Cycle......Page 363
The Global Water Cycle......Page 365
Review Questions......Page 369
Additional Reading......Page 370
Introduction......Page 371
Ecosystem Concepts in Management......Page 372
Application of Ecosystem Knowledge in Management......Page 374
Integrative Approaches to Ecosystem Management......Page 377
Summary......Page 383
Additional Reading......Page 384
Abbreviations......Page 386
Glossary......Page 390
References......Page 408
Index......Page 438