Abstract
Tree species distribution and abundance are affected by forces operating across a hierarchy of ecological scales. Process and species distribution models have been developed emphasizing forces at different scales. Understanding model agreement across hierarchical scales provides perspective on prediction uncertainty and ultimately enables policy makers and managers to make better decisions. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that agreement between process and species distribution models varies by hierarchical level. Due to the top-down approach of species distribution models and the bottom-up approach of process models, the most agreement will occur at the mid-level of the hierarchical analysis, the ecological subsection level, capturing the effects of soil variables.
Keywords
Climate change,
LINKAGES 2.2,
Climate Change Tree Atlas,
Hierarchical,
Process model,
Species distribution model
Citation
Schneiderman, Jeffrey E.; He, Hong S.; Thompson, Frank R.; Dijak, William D.; Fraser, Jacob S. 2015. Comparison of a species distribution model and a process model from a hierarchical perspective to quantify effects of projected climate change on tree species. Landscape Ecology. 30(10): 1879-1892. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-015-0217-1.