6
sidered in any integrated ecological assessment effort. These chapters emphasize the importance of
hierarchy theory, system dynamics, and limits to
ecosystem predictability to integrated ecological
assessments and offer practical solutions as to how
they may be addressed in future assessment efforts.
Section B (Information Management) contains
five chapters that describe key components of information management in the ecological assessment process. These components include data acquisition (Chapter 5), sampling design (Chapters 6
and 7), data storage and maintenance (Chapter 8),
and the integration of ecological assessment information (Chapter 9).
In Section C (Basic Technologies), we present
three chapters that describe emerging technologies
critical to integrated ecological assessments. These
technologies include remote sensing (Chapter 10),
geographic information systems (Chapter 11), and
knowledge-based systems (Chapter 12). We believe these chapters are appropriately placed in this
section of the book, because they represent fundamental technologies that are commonly utilized in
most ecological analysis and characterization efforts described later in the book.
Basic concepts regarding analytical methods
commonly used in ecological assessments are provided in Section 0 (Analytical Methods: Concepts). In this section we provide five chapters (13
through 17) that describe theoretical considerations
that should be considered in the evaluation of ecological assessment data. In Section E (Analytical
Methods: Applications), we provide four chapters
(18 through 21) that provide practical advice concerning the implementation of suggestions presented in section D.
In Section F (Ecosystem Characterization), we
present eight chapters that describe various methods and techniques that should be considered in
describing the current conditions of terrestrial,
aquatic, and human resources. These chapters cover
three basic categories of information important to
any ecosystem characterization effort: biophysical
environment, ecological process, and dynamic
ecosystem pattern description. Chapters 22, 24, and
27 provide suggestions concerning the identification and mapping of biophysical environments important to terrestrial, aquatic, and human resources,
respectively. Ecological processes that influence
terrestrial, aquatic, and human resource patterns are
described in Chapters 23, 25, and 28, and the techniques for characterizing these resource patterns are
provided in Chapters 23, 26, and 29.
In Section G (Case Studies), we present five
chapters that describe various integrated ecological
Introduction
assessment efforts recently completed within the
United States. These case studies range from relatively simple assessments with limited financial
investments (Chapters 31 and 33) to very complex
assessments with large financial investments
(Chapters 30 and 34). These chapters were developed to suggest to the reader how the information
contained in Sections A through F might actually
be integrated into ecological assessments of varying scope, spatial extent, and complexity. To ensure that this objective was met, a similar format
of topics was addressed in each chapter of this section. These topics include description of the process
used in identifying the issues that were addressed;
the strategy employed in creating partnerships and
working groups; the scale, extent, and resolution
of the assessment; information management; approaches used in ecosystem characterization; data
analysis methods; techniques used in data integration and reporting; results of the assessment; implementation strategies; lessons learned from the
assessment; and suggestions for future work.
The final section of this book (Implementation
Strategies) contains one chapter that addresses various political, institutional, and social issues that
need to be considered in the successful implementation of an integrated ecological assessment effort.
Emphasis is placed on describing the role of ecological assessments in implementing ecosystem
management or any other set of land-use objectives
across mixed land ownerships and diverse public
partnerships.
In the previous discussion, we described the
manner in which we organized chapters of this
book by topical sections. Integrated ecological assessments, however, often defy such convenient
categorizations of issues (sections) and related topics (chapters). Therefore, we present a general
framework for ecological assessment in Figure 2 to
further assist the reader in understanding how the
chapters of this book relate to basic procedural
components of the assessment process. In the following discussion we describe these components,
as well as the various book chapters that address
them.
The first task in any integrated ecological assessment is to clearly define the scope of the assessment effort. This step is critical to successful
completion of an assessment, because it establishes
the nature, boundaries, and operational limits of the
proposed effort. Key components of this task include identification of the issues that need to be addressed, the stakeholders that need to be involved,
the proposed spatial boundaries of an assessment
(which include integrated analysis units as well as
sidered in any integrated ecological assessment effort. These chapters emphasize the importance of
hierarchy theory, system dynamics, and limits to
ecosystem predictability to integrated ecological
assessments and offer practical solutions as to how
they may be addressed in future assessment efforts.
Section B (Information Management) contains
five chapters that describe key components of information management in the ecological assessment process. These components include data acquisition (Chapter 5), sampling design (Chapters 6
and 7), data storage and maintenance (Chapter 8),
and the integration of ecological assessment information (Chapter 9).
In Section C (Basic Technologies), we present
three chapters that describe emerging technologies
critical to integrated ecological assessments. These
technologies include remote sensing (Chapter 10),
geographic information systems (Chapter 11), and
knowledge-based systems (Chapter 12). We believe these chapters are appropriately placed in this
section of the book, because they represent fundamental technologies that are commonly utilized in
most ecological analysis and characterization efforts described later in the book.
Basic concepts regarding analytical methods
commonly used in ecological assessments are provided in Section 0 (Analytical Methods: Concepts). In this section we provide five chapters (13
through 17) that describe theoretical considerations
that should be considered in the evaluation of ecological assessment data. In Section E (Analytical
Methods: Applications), we provide four chapters
(18 through 21) that provide practical advice concerning the implementation of suggestions presented in section D.
In Section F (Ecosystem Characterization), we
present eight chapters that describe various methods and techniques that should be considered in
describing the current conditions of terrestrial,
aquatic, and human resources. These chapters cover
three basic categories of information important to
any ecosystem characterization effort: biophysical
environment, ecological process, and dynamic
ecosystem pattern description. Chapters 22, 24, and
27 provide suggestions concerning the identification and mapping of biophysical environments important to terrestrial, aquatic, and human resources,
respectively. Ecological processes that influence
terrestrial, aquatic, and human resource patterns are
described in Chapters 23, 25, and 28, and the techniques for characterizing these resource patterns are
provided in Chapters 23, 26, and 29.
In Section G (Case Studies), we present five
chapters that describe various integrated ecological
Introduction
assessment efforts recently completed within the
United States. These case studies range from relatively simple assessments with limited financial
investments (Chapters 31 and 33) to very complex
assessments with large financial investments
(Chapters 30 and 34). These chapters were developed to suggest to the reader how the information
contained in Sections A through F might actually
be integrated into ecological assessments of varying scope, spatial extent, and complexity. To ensure that this objective was met, a similar format
of topics was addressed in each chapter of this section. These topics include description of the process
used in identifying the issues that were addressed;
the strategy employed in creating partnerships and
working groups; the scale, extent, and resolution
of the assessment; information management; approaches used in ecosystem characterization; data
analysis methods; techniques used in data integration and reporting; results of the assessment; implementation strategies; lessons learned from the
assessment; and suggestions for future work.
The final section of this book (Implementation
Strategies) contains one chapter that addresses various political, institutional, and social issues that
need to be considered in the successful implementation of an integrated ecological assessment effort.
Emphasis is placed on describing the role of ecological assessments in implementing ecosystem
management or any other set of land-use objectives
across mixed land ownerships and diverse public
partnerships.
In the previous discussion, we described the
manner in which we organized chapters of this
book by topical sections. Integrated ecological assessments, however, often defy such convenient
categorizations of issues (sections) and related topics (chapters). Therefore, we present a general
framework for ecological assessment in Figure 2 to
further assist the reader in understanding how the
chapters of this book relate to basic procedural
components of the assessment process. In the following discussion we describe these components,
as well as the various book chapters that address
them.
The first task in any integrated ecological assessment is to clearly define the scope of the assessment effort. This step is critical to successful
completion of an assessment, because it establishes
the nature, boundaries, and operational limits of the
proposed effort. Key components of this task include identification of the issues that need to be addressed, the stakeholders that need to be involved,
the proposed spatial boundaries of an assessment
(which include integrated analysis units as well as