Working Group Spatial Analysis of Ecosystems
Spatial ecology deals with the spatial distribution of organisms and a general objective of spatial analysis is to reveal the relationship between observed spatial distributions of species and the mechanisms underlying these spatial distributions. The recent advances in analysing spatial patterns of organisms in spatial ecology have greatly contributed to better understanding the distribution of organisms in space and time.
A prerequisite for exploring the ecological information provided by spatial distributions of organisms is to precisely describe the spatial structure of point patterns with statistical methods. Over the past decades, statisticians have developed structurally different summary statistics for this purpose. Moreover, rapid advances in computer science and technology have resulted in an increased application of spatial statistics. In addition, development of remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technology has led to the identification of spatiotemporal patterns of organisms and has increased the possibility to identify how human activities have influenced animal and plant habitats. Consequently, ecologists have started to introduce spatial variation and complexity of ecosystems into their analyses, including changes of spatial patterns over time.
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). 2025 UpdateActivities of our WG members in 2024 were focused on tree species diversity and its influence on forest dynamics, particularly within temperate old-growth and tropical ecosystems. A series of studies explored the relationships between species and size diversity, the role of landscape features in biodiversity patterns, and the impact of disturbances on forest composition. These investigations highlight the importance of spatial and temporal factors in understanding forest ecosystem structure, which is central to landscape ecology and effective forest conservation. A study by Erfanifard et al. (2024) assessed spatial and temporal species diversity in Białowieza Forest (BF), a UNESCO World Heritage site and old-growth forest (OGF). BF has faced challenges from pest outbreaks, especially in 2016-2017, which impacted species composition. Using airborne laser scanning (ALS) and color infrared (CIR) datasets from 2015 and 2019, the study employed the Random Forest algorithm to identify 14 species across 458 plots. It compared biodiversity indices, including α, β, and γ diversity, using both field observations (FO) and remote sensing analysis (RSA). While α diversity showed no significant differences between FO and RSA, discrepancies in species richness were attributed to low species frequency and insufficient reference individuals. Despite this, RSA successfully identified dominant species and tracked changes in their Importance Value Index (IVI). Furthermore, RSA explored scale-dependent density shifts of broadleaved species around conifers, yielding results consistent with FO in detecting changes in community dominance. In conclusion, the study shows that RSA is a valuable method for monitoring biodiversity, particularly in assessing species composition and community dynamics in OGFs like Białowieza Forest. The integration of remote sensing provides promising insights for biodiversity monitoring and forest conservation, particularly in the face of disturbances. Linking these findings to landscape ecology, the study emphasizes the role of spatial heterogeneity in biodiversity monitoring. Disturbance patterns (e.g., pest outbreaks) influence species distributions and ecosystem dynamics. Remote sensing helps capture these changes, supporting landscape ecology principles where both spatial and temporal scales are essential for understanding biodiversity in dynamic forest landscapes. A study by Nguyen et al. (2024a) investigates how species and size diversity affect above-ground biomass (AGB) in tropical forests. It finds that species diversity contributes significantly to AGB in homogenous landscapes, while structural diversity (tree size variation) enhances AGB in more heterogeneous topographies. The study emphasizes the influence of local topographical conditions, such as slope, on the relationship between biodiversity and carbon storage. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining both species and structural diversity for forest management and climate change mitigation. Another study by Nguyen et al. (2024b) examines ecological species groups (ESGs) and interspecific associations among dominant woody species in a seasonal tropical forest in Laos. By analyzing environmental factors like soil properties and topography, the study identifies key ecological groups and their interspecific relationships. The results highlight the role of microhabitats in plant community stability and distribution. Understanding these interactions is crucial for forest conservation and ecological research, as it underscores the role of environmental factors in shaping plant communities. Both studies reinforce the connection between landscape features and biodiversity, contributing to forest function and structure, key aspects of landscape ecology. The first study shows how topography influences the relationship between species and structural diversity, suggesting that landscape heterogeneity (e.g., varied topographies) can enhance ecological processes like carbon storage. The second study, focusing on environmental factors such as elevation, slope, and soil composition, further links landscape structure to biodiversity patterns and ecosystem stability, emphasizing the critical role of landscape features in shaping species distributions and interactions.
Contact
Yousef Erfanifard, PhD (WG leader) Arne Pommerening, PhD (Co-WG leader) Other Members:
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