Methods in Ecosystem Science

Ecology at the ecosystem level has both necessitated and benefited from new methods and technologies as well as those adapted from other disciplines. With the ascendancy of ecosystem science and management, the need has arisen for a comprehensive treatment of techniques used in this rapidly-growing field. Methods in Ecosystem Science answers that need by synthesizing the advantages, disadvantages and tradeoffs associated with the most commonly used techniques in both aquatic and terrestrial research.
The book is divided into sections addressing carbon and energy dynamics, nutrient and water dynamics, manipulative ecosystem experiements and tools to synthesize our understanding of ecosystems. Detailed information about various methods will help researchers choose the most appropriate methods for their particular studies. Prominent scientists discuss how tools from a variety of disciplines can be used in ecosystem science at different scales.

Methods in Ecosystem Science: Progress, Tradeoffs, and Limitations.- References.- 1. Carbon and Energy Dynamics.- 1 Stand Structure in Terrestrial Ecosystems.- 2 Methods of Estimating Aboveground Net Primary Productivity.- 3 Global Terrestrial Gross and Net Primary Productivity from the Earth Observing System.- 4 Methods of Estimating Belowground Net Primary Production.- 5 The Measurement of Primary Production in Aquatic Ecosystems.- 6 Benthic Respiration in Aquatic Sediments.- 7 Decomposition and Soil Organic Matter Dynamics.- 8 Stable Isotope Tracers and Mathematical Models in Soil Organic Matter Studies.- 9 Microbial Carbon Cycling in Pelagic Ecosystems: Microbial Methods for Ecosystem Scientists.- 10 Herbivory in Terrestrial Ecosystems.- 2. Nutrient and Water Dynamics.- 11 Canopy Fluxes.- 12 Assessing Ecosystem-Level Water Relations Through Stable Isotope Ratio Analyses.- 13 Measuring Water Availability and Uptake in Ecosystem Studies.- 14 Nutrient Transformations.- 15 Biogenic Trace Gas Exchanges.- 16 Ecosystem Nutrient Balance and Dynamics.- 17 Deposition of Nutrients and Pollutants to Ecosystems.- 18 Landscape and Regional Biogeochemistry: Approaches.- 3. Manipulative Ecosystem Experiments.- 19 Nutrient Manipulations in Terrestrial Ecosystems.- 20 Biotic Manipulation of Aquatic Ecosystems.- 21 Biotic Manipulations Involving Belowground Animals.- 22 Assessing the Effects of Acidification on Aquatic Ecosystems: Insights from Lake Experiments.- 23 Large-Scale Water Manipulations.- 24 Ecosystem Climate Manipulations.- 4. Synthesis and Conclusions.- 25 Ecosystem Modeling.- 26 Stoichiometric Analysis of Pelagic Ecosystems: The Biogeochemistry of Planktonic Food Webs.