New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States
Ecosystem transformations to altered or novel ecological states are accelerating across the globe. Indicators of ecological resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasion can aid in assessing risks and prioritizing areas for conservation and restoration. The sagebrush biome encompasses parts o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1009268/full |
| _version_ | 1797942782639210496 |
|---|---|
| author | Jeanne C. Chambers Jessi L. Brown John B. Bradford David I. Board Steven B. Campbell Karen J. Clause Brice Hanberry Daniel R. Schlaepfer Daniel R. Schlaepfer Alexandra K. Urza |
| author_facet | Jeanne C. Chambers Jessi L. Brown John B. Bradford David I. Board Steven B. Campbell Karen J. Clause Brice Hanberry Daniel R. Schlaepfer Daniel R. Schlaepfer Alexandra K. Urza |
| author_sort | Jeanne C. Chambers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ecosystem transformations to altered or novel ecological states are accelerating across the globe. Indicators of ecological resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasion can aid in assessing risks and prioritizing areas for conservation and restoration. The sagebrush biome encompasses parts of 11 western states and is experiencing rapid transformations due to human population growth, invasive species, altered disturbance regimes, and climate change. We built on prior use of static soil moisture and temperature regimes to develop new, ecologically relevant and climate responsive indicators of both resilience and resistance. Our new indicators were based on climate and soil water availability variables derived from process-based ecohydrological models that allow predictions of future conditions. We asked: (1) Which variables best indicate resilience and resistance? (2) What are the relationships among the indicator variables and resilience and resistance categories? (3) How do patterns of resilience and resistance vary across the area? We assembled a large database (n = 24,045) of vegetation sample plots from regional monitoring programs and derived multiple climate and soil water availability variables for each plot from ecohydrological simulations. We used USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service National Soils Survey Information, Ecological Site Descriptions, and expert knowledge to develop and assign ecological types and resilience and resistance categories to each plot. We used random forest models to derive a set of 19 climate and water availability variables that best predicted resilience and resistance categories. Our models had relatively high multiclass accuracy (80% for resilience; 75% for resistance). Top indicator variables for both resilience and resistance included mean temperature, coldest month temperature, climatic water deficit, and summer and driest month precipitation. Variable relationships and patterns differed among ecoregions but reflected environmental gradients; low resilience and resistance were indicated by warm and dry conditions with high climatic water deficits, and moderately high to high resilience and resistance were characterized by cooler and moister conditions with low climatic water deficits. The new, ecologically-relevant indicators provide information on the vulnerability of resources and likely success of management actions, and can be used to develop new approaches and tools for prioritizing areas for conservation and restoration actions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T20:14:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe0b160b9e4f41f5bcf8c3a06b8610d7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T20:14:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe0b160b9e4f41f5bcf8c3a06b8610d72023-01-26T08:20:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2023-01-011010.3389/fevo.2022.10092681009268New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United StatesJeanne C. Chambers0Jessi L. Brown1John B. Bradford2David I. Board3Steven B. Campbell4Karen J. Clause5Brice Hanberry6Daniel R. Schlaepfer7Daniel R. Schlaepfer8Alexandra K. Urza9USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV, United StatesUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV, United StatesUSDOI U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ, United StatesUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV, United StatesUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, West National Technology Support Center, Portland, OR, United StatesUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rocky Mountain Area, Pinedale, WY, United StatesUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Rapid City, SD, United StatesUSDOI U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ, United StatesCenter for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United StatesUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Reno, NV, United StatesEcosystem transformations to altered or novel ecological states are accelerating across the globe. Indicators of ecological resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasion can aid in assessing risks and prioritizing areas for conservation and restoration. The sagebrush biome encompasses parts of 11 western states and is experiencing rapid transformations due to human population growth, invasive species, altered disturbance regimes, and climate change. We built on prior use of static soil moisture and temperature regimes to develop new, ecologically relevant and climate responsive indicators of both resilience and resistance. Our new indicators were based on climate and soil water availability variables derived from process-based ecohydrological models that allow predictions of future conditions. We asked: (1) Which variables best indicate resilience and resistance? (2) What are the relationships among the indicator variables and resilience and resistance categories? (3) How do patterns of resilience and resistance vary across the area? We assembled a large database (n = 24,045) of vegetation sample plots from regional monitoring programs and derived multiple climate and soil water availability variables for each plot from ecohydrological simulations. We used USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service National Soils Survey Information, Ecological Site Descriptions, and expert knowledge to develop and assign ecological types and resilience and resistance categories to each plot. We used random forest models to derive a set of 19 climate and water availability variables that best predicted resilience and resistance categories. Our models had relatively high multiclass accuracy (80% for resilience; 75% for resistance). Top indicator variables for both resilience and resistance included mean temperature, coldest month temperature, climatic water deficit, and summer and driest month precipitation. Variable relationships and patterns differed among ecoregions but reflected environmental gradients; low resilience and resistance were indicated by warm and dry conditions with high climatic water deficits, and moderately high to high resilience and resistance were characterized by cooler and moister conditions with low climatic water deficits. The new, ecologically-relevant indicators provide information on the vulnerability of resources and likely success of management actions, and can be used to develop new approaches and tools for prioritizing areas for conservation and restoration actions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1009268/fullsagebrush biomeecological resilienceresistance to invasionBromus tectorumecohydrological simulationsoil water availability |
| spellingShingle | Jeanne C. Chambers Jessi L. Brown John B. Bradford David I. Board Steven B. Campbell Karen J. Clause Brice Hanberry Daniel R. Schlaepfer Daniel R. Schlaepfer Alexandra K. Urza New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution sagebrush biome ecological resilience resistance to invasion Bromus tectorum ecohydrological simulation soil water availability |
| title | New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States |
| title_full | New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States |
| title_fullStr | New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States |
| title_short | New indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome, United States |
| title_sort | new indicators of ecological resilience and invasion resistance to support prioritization and management in the sagebrush biome united states |
| topic | sagebrush biome ecological resilience resistance to invasion Bromus tectorum ecohydrological simulation soil water availability |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1009268/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeannecchambers newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT jessilbrown newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT johnbbradford newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT davidiboard newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT stevenbcampbell newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT karenjclause newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT bricehanberry newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT danielrschlaepfer newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT danielrschlaepfer newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates AT alexandrakurza newindicatorsofecologicalresilienceandinvasionresistancetosupportprioritizationandmanagementinthesagebrushbiomeunitedstates |