Disturbance Ecology
About this eBook
Readers will discover the global distribution of disturbance regimes and learn about the importance of disturbances for biodiversity and the evolution of plant and animal life. The book provides a Central European perspective on disturbance ecology, and addresses important disturbance agents such as fire, wind, avalanches, tree diseases, insect defoliators, bark beetles and large herbivores in dedicated chapters. It furthermore includes chapters on anthropogenic disturbances in forests and grasslands. The impact of climate change on disturbance regimes and approaches to address disturbance risks in ecosystem management are discussed in concluding chapters. Within the 18 chapters 14 textboxes highlight current topics of disturbance ecology and provide deeper methodological insights into the field.
Disturbances strongly shape our landscapes and maintain our biodiversity. A better understanding of their ecology is thus fundamental for contextualizing the dynamic changes in our environment. This book is a valuable resource for students and practitioners interested in disturbances and their management.
About the author
Anke Jentsch is professor of Disturbance Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics at the University of Bayreuth (Germany). Her research covers, in particular, disturbance and biodiversity, natural hazards, and climate change. Her scientific interests focus on the understanding of ecosystem dynamics and community resilience. Her work includes extensive field experiments in Central Europe on the effects of weather extremes on ecosystem functions.
Rupert Seidl is professor of Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany. He works towards a better understanding of forest change, and harnesses these insights to improve ecosystem management. Methodologically, he combines dynamic simulation models with remote sensing data and field observations to quantify past and potential future changes in forest structure, composition, and function.
