Publisher's Synopsis
Examination of the effect of ecotone patterning on community diversity and landscape functioning. Ecotones (transition zones between ecosystems) define ecosystem boundaries and may control the flow of energy, material, and organisms between ecosystems. This volume explores the role of ecotones in controlling these flows thereby influencing landscape functioning. It synthesizes existing theory, evaluates central hypotheses relative to empirical and simulation data, and puts forward new hypotheses. It also aims to stimulate the thinking and research that is necessary to build a satisfactory theory of landscape dynamics.
