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Spatial Multiobjective Optimization of Agricultural Conservation Practices using a SWAT Model and an Evolutionary Algorithm
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Published on: December 9, 2012

Spatial pattern enhances ecosystem functioning in an African savanna.

Robert M Pringle1, Daniel F Doak, Alison K Brody

  • 1Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America. rpringle@fas.harvard.edu

Plos Biology
|June 4, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Regular spatial patterns, like termite mounds, boost ecosystem productivity. Uniformly spaced mounds maximize animal abundance and biomass across all trophic levels, unlike random patterns.

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Ecosystem Science
  • Spatial Ecology

Background:

  • Regular spatial patterns emerge from local organism interactions.
  • Theoretical models predict positive effects of patterning on ecosystem productivity.
  • Termite mounds in drylands are known hotspots for plant growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide empirical support for the prediction that spatial patterning enhances ecosystem functions.
  • To investigate the ecological importance of regular spatial patterns in dryland ecosystems.
  • To assess the impact of termite mound distribution on animal abundance and productivity.

Main Methods:

  • Detailed observations and manipulative experiments in an African savanna.
  • Quantified insect and predator abundance, biomass, and reproductive output relative to termite mound proximity.
  • Utilized null-model analyses to compare consumer productivity in uniformly spaced versus randomly distributed mound landscapes.

Main Results:

  • Termite mounds were identified as local hotspots for secondary and tertiary productivity.
  • Insect and predator abundance, biomass, and reproductive output decreased with distance from termite mounds.
  • Uniformly spaced termite mounds resulted in significantly greater consumer abundance, biomass, and reproductive output compared to random distributions.

Conclusions:

  • The hyper-dispersion of termite mounds minimizes average distance, maximizing consumer resource access and productivity.
  • Spatial patterning is crucial for system-wide biomass accumulation and ecosystem functioning.
  • Conserving pattern-generating organisms and incorporating landscape patterning are vital for habitat restoration and ecosystem service delivery.