Thanks, Juan; I do appreciate the reference, but I am looking for a
simper answer than that--a scientifically-based explanation of what
ecosystem function means as an actual or theoretical feature of actual
ecosystems. I am definitely not interested in ". . . an anthropocentric
concept (as humans depend on ecosystems to survive) because is
described
as the capacity of the natural processes to provide an array of direct
or indirect services or benefits to humans." I would be delighted to
hear a discussion of benefits to humans some other time, however, but I
do not want this discussion to wander off the central, very basic
question now.
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: Juan Alvez
To: Wayne Tyson
Cc: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2012 10:25 AM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Visualizing functional diversity
Hi Wayne,
You can best visualize ecosystem functions in a paper written 10
years
ago by De Groot and others,
(Ref: de Groot, R.S., Wilson, M.A., Boumans, R.M.J., 2002. A typology
for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem
functions, goods and services. Ecological Economics 41, 393-408.).
It describes four main ecosystem functions (regulation [climate,
nutrient cycling, polination], habitat [refugia, nursery, etc.],
information [scientific info, recreation, cultural and aesthetic] and
production [food, genetic and medicinal resources, raw materials, etc.]
functions).
It is certainly an anthropocentric concept (as humans depend on
ecosystems to survive) because is described as the capacity of the
natural processes to provide an array of direct or indirect services or
benefits to humans.
Best,
Juan
On 9/26/2012 10:11 PM, Wayne Tyson wrote:
Please describe function in ecosystems.
WT
----- Original Message ----- From: "Katharine Miller"
<kmill...@alaska.edu>
To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 4:07 PM
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Visualizing functional diversity
Hello,
I have used Rao's quadratic entropy to evaluate functional
diversity
between
a number of estuaries for which I also have a GIS database. I
would
like to
be able to visualize which sites are more functionally similar
across the
region to evaluate patterns in dispersal, etc.
I know it is possible to use the pairwise functional beta diversity
values
as a distance matrix in a Mantel test or multivariate regression on
distances matrices (MRM) when comparing functional diversity to,
for
example, environmental data. Would it also be appropriate to use
these
values in a PAM or other clustering method to identify estuaries
that are
more/less similar in functional diversity?
This is likely to sound like a very naive question, but I have done
an
extensive literature search and have not found where this has been
done
before - perhaps because it is a bad idea for other reasons?
Any insights and/or references on this approach would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you
-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1427 / Virus Database: 2441/5293 - Release Date:
09/26/12