Measuring Plant Diversity

Lessons from the Field

Thomas J. Stohlgren

Here is a thorough presentation and critique of the sampling approaches, designs and field techniques for measuring plant diversity. Ecologists interested in assessing landscapes and ecosystems must measure biomass, cover, and the density or frequency of various key species. Recently, sampling designs for measuring species richness and diversity, patterns of plant diversity, species-environment relationships, and species distributions have become finer-grained, as it has become increasingly important to accurately map and assess rare species for conservation. This book lays out the range of current methods for mapping and measuring species diversity, for field ecologists, resource managers, conservation biologists, and students, as a tool kit for future field measurements of plant diversity.

Measuring Plant Diversity

Lessons from the Field

Thomas J. Stohlgren

Description

Ecologists interested in assessing landscapes and ecosystems must measure biomass, cover, and the density or frequency of various key species. Recently, sampling designs for measuring species richness and diversity, patterns of plant diversity, species-environment relationships, and species distributions have become fine-grained, as it has become increasingly important to accurately map and assess rare species for conservation. This book lays out the range of current methods for mapping and measuring species diversity, for field ecologists, resource managers, conservation biologist, and students, as a tool kit for future measurements of plant diversity.

Measuring Plant Diversity

Lessons from the Field

Thomas J. Stohlgren

Dedication
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Part I: The Past and Present
1. Introduction
2. History and Background, Baggage and Direction
3. A Framework for the Design of Plant Diversity Studies
Part II: An Experimental Approach to Sampling
4. Single-scale Sampling
5. Multi-scale Sampling
6. Comparing Multi-scale Sampling Designs - Taking an Experimental Approach
7. Case Study: Comparing Rangeland Vegetation Sampling Techniques
Part III: Scaling to Landscapes
8. Case Study on Multi-phase and Multi-scale Sampling
9. Case Study: Designing a Monitoring Program for Assessing Patterns of Plant Diversity in Forests Nationwide
10. Case Study: Patterns of Plant Invasions in Forests and Grasslands
11. Case Study: Evaluating the Effects of Grazing and Soil Characteristics on Plant Diversity
12. Case Study: Assessments of Plant Diversity in Arid Landscapes
Part IV: Modeling Patterns of Plant Diversity
13. Non-Spatial Statistical Modeling of Plant Diversity
14. Spatial Analysis and Modeling, Part V: Monitoring Plant Diversity
15. Concepts for Assessing Temporal Changes in Plant Diversity
16. Case Study: Monitoring Shifts in Plant Diversity in Response to Climate Change
Part VI: Research Needs
17. Case Study: Testing a Nested-Intensity Sampling Design
18. Quantifying Trends in Space And Time
Glossary
References

Measuring Plant Diversity

Lessons from the Field

Thomas J. Stohlgren

Author Information

Thomas J. Stohlgren is Invasive Species Science Branch Chief, U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center, and Senior Scientist and Affiliate Faculty Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University.

Measuring Plant Diversity

Lessons from the Field

Thomas J. Stohlgren

Reviews and Awards

CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, 2007

"If you need to measure the diversity of plants (or other taxa for that matter), the many lessons in this book should not be ignored." -- The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 83

"Well written 'how to' book on current techniques to measure plant diversity in space and time...An indispensable resource for all science libraries."--CHOICE

"This is an indispensable resource for all science libraries."--Choice