Abstract ........................................................ 1
Introduction .................................................... 1
Deductive and Inductive Approaches to Ecosystem Modeling ........ 2
Methodology ..................................................... 3
Results ......................................................... 9
Discussion ..................................................... 10
Conclusion ..................................................... 13
Acknowledgments ................................................ 14
References Cited ............................................... 14
Figures
1. Diagram of the vertical structure of an ecosystem,
showing the spatial integration of biological and
nonliving components ....................................... 2
2. Schematic depiction of the geospatial modeling approach
to terrestrial ecosystems mapping .......................... 4
3-8. Maps of the conterminous United States showing-
3. NatureServe's ecological divisions ......................... 5
4. Mesoscale isobioclimate regions, representing areas of
distinct ombrotype (wet/dry gradients) and thermotype
(hot/cold gradients) regimes ............................... 6
5. Lithology of surficial materials, depicting the
distributions of 17 distinct substrate types ............... 7
6. Landform classes modeled using 30-m digital elevation
data and derived from neighborhood analyses of slope and
relative relief ............................................ 8
7. Topographic moisture potential index modeled using 30-m
digital elevation data and derived from analyses of
potential accumulation of moisture at a point based on
topography ................................................ 10
8. Terrestrial ecosystems that were deductively modeled
through biophysical stratification of the area into
ecosystem footprints (physically distinct areas) and
subsequent attribution of these footprints with
a NatureServe ecosystem type .............................. 11
9. Map showing terrestrial ecosystems in a 6,000-km2
section of northeastern Utah .............................. 12
Table
1. Land surface form classes topographically modeled from
combinations of slope class and local relief ................. 9
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