OOS 12
Snapshot Ecology: Inferring Ecosystem Dynamics from a Single Point in Time or Space

Monday, August 10, 2015: 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
341, Baltimore Convention Center
Organizer:
Danielle L Watts
Co-organizers:
Laurel L. Larsen and Maarten Eppinga
Moderator:
Danielle L Watts
Understanding ecosystem dynamics, such as transitions between ecosystem states, often requires long time series, or observations over large spatial scales. The availability of this data rapidly becomes a limiting factor for ecologists as time-lengths get longer and/or the areas more remote. We aim to present a variety of approaches that can circumvent this problem, through the inference of ecological transitions through single snapshots in time. “Snapshot data” refers to a (set of) measurement(s) at one particular moment in time. The presented approaches have in common that temporal dynamics are inferred from data that is temporally limited by means of theoretical model frameworks that enable extrapolation to ecologically relevant time frames. Through this synergy between model development and empirical data collection, snapshot ecology provides a means to infer complex ecosystem behavior from limited measurements. With both computational power and the availability of “snapshot data” (e.g. Google Earth) rapidly increasing, there is considerable potential for future application of the approaches presented in this session.
1:30 PM
Linking the planform shape of channel deposits to spatial changes in channel dynamics across the backwater transition zone
Anjali Fernandes, Tulane University; Torbjörn E. Törnqvist, Tulane University; Kyle M. Straub, Tulane University; David Mohrig, The University of Texas at Austin
2:10 PM
Persistence of spatial structures in tropical tree populations is lower than expected based on aggregation, indicating time lags in underlying dynamics
Matteo Detto, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Helene Muller-Landau, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
2:30 PM
Kinetic roughening theory predicts properties of ecological fronts in a variety of systems and spatial scales
Andrew J. Allstadt, University of Wisconsin; Thomas Caraco, University at Albany; Gyorgy Korniss, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
3:10 PM
3:40 PM
Spatial patterning reflects invasion velocity for exotic plant species
Maarten Eppinga, Utrecht University; Mara Baudena, Utrecht University; Maria J. Santos, Utrecht University
4:00 PM
Quantifying productivity responses to antecedent environmental drivers at multiple time-scales
Kiona Ogle, Arizona State University; Edmund Ryan, Arizona State University; Elise Pendall, University of Western Sydney
4:20 PM
Demographic responses of tree communities relative to recent environmental change in northeastern mountain forests
Jay W. Wason III, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York; Martin Dovciak, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
4:40 PM
More stable forests promote higher epiphytic diversity
Daniel F. Zuleta, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History; Ana M. Benavides, Corporación para Investigaciones Biologicas; Alvaro J. Duque, Universidad Nacional de Colombia