Large-Scale Ecology: Model Systems to Global Perspectives

Part I: Large Spatial Scale Ecology

Chapter One: The Unique Contribution of Rothamsted to Ecological Research at Large Temporal Scales

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction to Long-Term Ecological Research at Rothamsted
• 2 Monitoring the Impact of Environmental Change
• 3 Community Ecology
• 4 Ecosystem Stability and Resilience
• 5 Evolutionary Ecology
• 6 Soil Microbial Ecology
• 7 Conclusion
• Acknowledgements

Chapter Two: How Agricultural Intensification Affects Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 The CAP and AI
• 3 Local-Level and Landscape-Level Effects of AI
• 4 Organic-Conventional Comparisons
• 5 Linking AI to Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
• 6 Conclusions
• Acknowledgements

Chapter Three: Litter Decomposition as an Indicator of Stream Ecosystem Functioning at Local-to-Continental Scales: Insights from the European RivFunction Project

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Nutrient Enrichment Effects on Leaf Litter Decomposition
• 3 Effects of Riparian Forest Modifications on Leaf Litter Decomposition
• 4 Biodiversity-Related Mechanisms Underlying Altered Litter Decomposition
• 5 Accomodating Natural Variability When Using Litter Decomposition in Stream Assessment
• 6 Towards the Integration of Ecosystem Functioning into Stream Management
• Acknowledgements

Chapter Four: Unravelling the Impacts of Micropollutants in Aquatic Ecosystems: Interdisciplinary Studies at the Interface of Large-Scale Ecology

• Abstract
• 1 Large-Scale Ecology and Human Impacts on Ecosystems
• 2 Water Management as a Real-World Experiment
• 3 Outlook: Potential of Combining Real-World and Research-Led Experiments
• Acknowledgements

Part II: Large/Long Temporal Scale Ecology and Model Systems

Chapter Five: The Colne Estuary: A Long-Term Microbial Ecology Observatory

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Study Site Description
• 3 Functional Ecology of Estuarine Microbes
• 4 Estuarine Saltmarshes
• 5 Estuaries and Climatically Important Trace Gases
• 6 Stressors and Pollution
• 7 Future Directions
• Acknowledgements

Chapter Six: Locally Extreme Environments as Natural Long-Term Experiments in Ecology

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Locally Extreme Environments as Long-Term Experiments
• 3 Case Study: Mofettes
• 4 Conclusions
• Acknowledgements

Chapter Seven: Climate-Driven Range Shifts Within Benthic Habitats Across a Marine Biogeographic Transition Zone

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 The Rise of Natural History and Species Recording
• 3 History and Development of Biogeographic Research in the Northeast Atlantic
• 4 Patterns of Change Across the Boreal–Lusitanian Biogeographic Breakpoint in the Northeast Atlantic
• 5 Factors Setting Biogeographic Range Limits
• 6 Long-Term Time-Series for Benthic Ecosystems in the Northeast Atlantic and Regional Seas
• 7 Observed Changes in the Physical Environment
• 8 Impacts of Climate Change on Intertidal Benthic Species
• 9 Future Advances in Quantifying and Modelling Distributional Responses to Climate Change

Chapter Eight: Cross-Scale Approaches to Forecasting Biogeographic Responses to Climate Change

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Common Pitfalls and Their Unintended Consequences
• 3 Moving Forward: How Do We Make Useful Forecasts While Recognizing Limitations?
• 4 Conclusions
• Acknowledgements

Part III: Large SpatioTemporal Scale Ecology

Chapter Nine: Shifting Impacts of Climate Change: Long-Term Patterns of Plant Response to Elevated CO₂, Drought, and Warming Across Ecosystems

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Methods for Data Analysis
• 3 Results
• 4 Discussion
• 5 Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
• Appendix A Details of the Database I
• Appendix B Details of the Database II
• Appendix C Site Details
• Appendix D Site Groupings

Chapter Ten: Recovery and Nonrecovery of Freshwater Food Webs from the Effects of Acidification

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Methods
• 3 Results
• 4 Discussion
• 5 Conclusion
• Acknowledgements
• Appendix

Chapter Eleven: Effective River Restoration in the 21st Century: From Trial and Error to Novel Evidence-Based Approaches

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Responses of River Biota to Hydrology and Physical Habitats
• 3 The Current Restoration Paradigm
• 4 Effects of Restoration
• 5 Future Directions
• 6 Conclusions
• Acknowledgements

Part IV: A Look To the Future

Chapter Twelve: Recommendations for the Next Generation of Global Freshwater Biological Monitoring Tools

• Abstract
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Invertebrates as Indicators of Ecosystem State
• 3 Decomposition-Based Indicators
• 4 Fishery Indicators: Learning from the Marine Realm
• 5 Molecular-Based Indicators
• 6 Indicators of Change Across Space and Time
• 7 Conclusions and Future Directions
• Acknowledgments