Working Group Spatial Analysis of Ecosystems

Our Working Group serves as a forum to develop application-specific approaches for the use of spatial analysis in ecological studies. We perform the following work: 

The widespread application of spatial analysis in ecological studies makes it possible to consider special parts in IALE World Congresses or related topics in IALE Annual Conferences and prepare special issues to be published by technical journals (e.g., Ecological Modelling, Spatial Statistics).      
All interested colleagues are warmly welcome to contact:
Yousef Erfanifard (erfanifard(at)ut.ac.ir)

2026 Update

In 2025, the IALE Working Group on Spatial Analysis of Ecosystems reached significant milestones in advancing the integration of high-resolution remote sensing (HR-RS) into forest spatial ecology. A major achievement was the publication of a comprehensive systematic review synthesizing how HR-RS technologies, including LiDAR and aerial imagery, provide critical insights into ecological processes at the single-tree level (Erfanifard et al., 2025a). This work highlighted the growing capability of these tools to capture complex tree-tree interactions and tree-environment relationships that were previously difficult to quantify across large spatial extents. 

Complementing this theoretical synthesis, the group published a pivotal case study evaluating these technologies in the Białowieża Forest (Erfanifard et al., 2025b). This research demonstrated that HR-RS provides a new lens for biodiversity assessment, offering reliable canopy species diversity data that aligns with traditional field-based measurements while providing superior spatial coverage.

In parallel, the WG made significant steps in refining spatial indicators and modeling forest dynamics. A core focus was the development of robust biodiversity metrics, exemplified by the generalization of the spatial species mingling diversity index (Pommerening and Särkkä, 2025). This advancement offers a robust way to quantify local neighborhood structures, significantly reducing dependency on global species richness and improving the ecological plausibility of diversity monitoring. Research also deepened into regeneration processes by modeling the colonization of mountain birch saplings, providing spatial insights into how performance at the forest edge shapes ecosystem shifts (Behrend and Pommerening, 2025). Furthermore, the group addressed the management-ecology nexus by synthesizing the historical origins of modern Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) in Europe, illustrating how historical spatial paradigms inform contemporary efforts to maintain structural complexity (Pommerening et al., 2025). 

These 2025 contributions directly support the WG mission to increase the application of spatial analysis among scientists investigating ecological dynamics. By filling the gap between advanced statistical modeling and practical forest management, these studies provide the spatial signatures necessary for biodiversity conservation in a changing climate. Looking forward to 2026, the WG aims to integrate these findings into upcoming activities, focusing on translating these complex spatial metrics into accessible tools for the broader landscape ecology community.

References

• Behrend, A. M., & Pommerening, A. (2025). Growing at the edge: Modelling sapling colonization, performance, and effective range of mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa). Ecological Modelling, 503, 111073. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111073

• Erfanifard, Y., Garbarino, M., & Stereńczak, K. (2025a). Contribution of high-resolution remote sensing to spatial ecology of forest ecosystems at the single tree level: A systematic review. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 101733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2025.101733

• Erfanifard, Y., Kraszewski, B., Lisiewicz, M., Mielcarek, M., Czerepko, J., Kuberski, Ł., Stereńczak, K., & Erfanifard, S. (2025b). A new lens on biodiversity assessment: The reliability of high-resolution remote sensing in investigating tree species diversity in old-growth forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 595, 122987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122987

• Pommerening, A., & Särkkä, A. (2025). Towards a generalisation of the spatial species mingling diversity index. Ecological Indicators, 181, 114429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.114429

• Pommerening, A., Widman, U., & Szmyt, J. (2025). The origin and beginnings of modern Continuous Cover Forestry in Europe. Forest Ecosystems, 14, 100348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100348