I'm also a proponent of the application of fuzzy thinking and fuzzy set
mathematics to ecology. Clearly, binary thinking should be avoided in
ecology because very little (none ?) ecosytems parts obey black/white
rules like human beings like to apply on anything. Classifications are a
necessity for human being but not for natural elements. I think that if we
really want to evaluate ecosystem functioning we must recognize and take
into account in our mathematical measures the fuzziness of Nature. Binary
categorization (like some biological traits) should be applied at the end
of our calculus processes.
Nicolas
Le Sat, 29 Sep 2012 06:55:58 +0200, Wayne Tyson <landr...@cox.net> a écrit:
I tend to be even fuzzier-- Fuzzy Philosophy: A Foundation for
Interneted Ecology? This became my retirement talk at the SERCAL annual
meeting.
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicolas PERU" <nicolas.p...@univ-lyon1.fr>
To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU>
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 12:57 AM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Visualizing functional diversity
Dear Wayne,
In my point of viewn, ecosystem functions directly refer to how energy
flows are shaped through ecosystem and how they allow ecosystem to
maintain by themselves (without human intervention this time). So, when
we
measure a functional diversity we try to evaluate the number of different
ways a given energy flow can be realized. One aim is to link living
communities diversities to ecosystem functioning (energy flow) and so
define how organisms participate to the success of energy transfer.
This is a quite fuzzy and very general definition but I hope this helps.
Regards,
Nicolas
Le Fri, 28 Sep 2012 02:43:00 +0200, Wayne Tyson <landr...@cox.net> a
écrit:
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
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Nicolas PERU, PhD
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06-88-15-23-10
CNRS, UMR 5023 - LEHNA
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