TY - CHAP
T1 - Spatial distribution
AU - Borregaard, Michael Krabbe
AU - Hendrichsen, Ditte Katrine
AU - Nachman, Gøsta Støger
N1 - Author Keywords: Distribution patterns; Flock behavior; Group size; Habitat fragmentation; Index of dispersion; Metapopulation dynamics; Predator–prey interactions; Range size; Spatial scale; Territoriality
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Living organisms are distributed over the entire surface of the planet. The distribution of the individuals of each species is not random; on the contrary, they are strongly dependent on the biology and ecology of the species, and vary over different spatial scale. The structure of whole populations reflects the location and fragmentation pattern of the habitat types preferred by the species, and the complex dynamics of migration, colonization, and population growth taking place over the landscape. Within these, individuals are distributed among each other in regular or clumped patterns, depending on the nature of intraspecific interactions between them: while the individuals of some species repel each other and partition the available area, others form groups of varying size, determined by the fitness of each group member.The spatial distribution pattern of individuals again strongly influences the outcome of ecological processes. For instance, interactions between predator species and their prey can have widely different population impacts in different landscapes.At the very largest scales, the position and sizes of the entire range of species also follow characteristic patterns. The study of these patterns is becoming an important instrument in the conservation and protection of global biodiversity.
AB - Living organisms are distributed over the entire surface of the planet. The distribution of the individuals of each species is not random; on the contrary, they are strongly dependent on the biology and ecology of the species, and vary over different spatial scale. The structure of whole populations reflects the location and fragmentation pattern of the habitat types preferred by the species, and the complex dynamics of migration, colonization, and population growth taking place over the landscape. Within these, individuals are distributed among each other in regular or clumped patterns, depending on the nature of intraspecific interactions between them: while the individuals of some species repel each other and partition the available area, others form groups of varying size, determined by the fitness of each group member.The spatial distribution pattern of individuals again strongly influences the outcome of ecological processes. For instance, interactions between predator species and their prey can have widely different population impacts in different landscapes.At the very largest scales, the position and sizes of the entire range of species also follow characteristic patterns. The study of these patterns is becoming an important instrument in the conservation and protection of global biodiversity.
U2 - 10.1016/B978-008045405-4.00659-5
DO - 10.1016/B978-008045405-4.00659-5
M3 - Book chapter
SN - 13: 9780444520333
VL - 4
SP - 3304
EP - 3310
BT - Encyclopedia of Ecology
A2 - Jørgensen, Sven Erik
A2 - Fath, Brian D.
PB - Elsevier
ER -