Multiscale Experiments in Coastal Ecology: Improving Realism and Advancing Theory

John E. Petersen; W. Michael Kemp; Rick Bartleson; Walter R. Boynton; Chung Chi Chen; Jeffrey C. Cornwell; Robert H. Gardner; Deborah C. Hinkle; Edward D. Houde; Thomas C. Malone; William R. Mowitt; Laura Murray; Lawrence P. Sanford; J. Court Stevenson; Karen L. Sundberg; Steve E. Suttles

doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[1181:MEICEI]2.0.CO;2

Multiscale Experiments in Coastal Ecology: Improving Realism and Advancing Theory

John E. Petersen^*
, W. Michael Kemp
, Rick Bartleson
, Walter R. Boynton
, Chung Chi Chen
, Jeffrey C. Cornwell
, Robert H. Gardner
, Deborah C. Hinkle
, Edward D. Houde
, Thomas C. Malone
, William R. Mowitt
, Laura Murray
, Lawrence P. Sanford
, J. Court Stevenson
, Karen L. Sundberg
, Steve E. Suttles

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Life Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

74 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Multiscale Experimental Ecosystem Research Center has conducted a series of mesocosm experiments to quantify the effects of scale - in terms of time, depth, radius, exchange rate, and ecological complexity - on biogeochemical processes and trophic dynamics in a variety of coastal habitats. The results indicate that scale effects can be categorized as (a) fundamental effects, which are evident in both natural and experimental ecosystems, and (b) artifacts of enclosure, which are solely attributable to the artificial environment in mesocosms. We conclude that multiscale experiments increase researchers' understanding of scale in nature and improve their ability to design scale-sensitive experiments, the results of which can be systematically compared with each other and extrapolated to nature.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1181-1197
Number of pages	17
Journal	BioScience
Volume	53
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[1181:MEICEI]2.0.CO;2
Publication status	Published - 2003 Dec

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 14 Life Below Water

Keywords

Experimental design
Extrapolation
Mesocosm
Scale

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Access to Document

10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[1181:MEICEI]2.0.CO;2

Cite this

Petersen, J. E., Kemp, W. M., Bartleson, R., Boynton, W. R., Chen, C. C., Cornwell, J. C., Gardner, R. H., Hinkle, D. C., Houde, E. D., Malone, T. C., Mowitt, W. R., Murray, L., Sanford, L. P., Stevenson, J. C., Sundberg, K. L., & Suttles, S. E. (2003). Multiscale Experiments in Coastal Ecology: Improving Realism and Advancing Theory. BioScience, 53(12), 1181-1197. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[1181:MEICEI]2.0.CO;2

Petersen, JE, Kemp, WM, Bartleson, R, Boynton, WR, Chen, CC, Cornwell, JC, Gardner, RH, Hinkle, DC, Houde, ED, Malone, TC, Mowitt, WR, Murray, L, Sanford, LP, Stevenson, JC, Sundberg, KL & Suttles, SE 2003, 'Multiscale Experiments in Coastal Ecology: Improving Realism and Advancing Theory', BioScience, vol. 53, no. 12, pp. 1181-1197. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[1181:MEICEI]2.0.CO;2

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title = "Multiscale Experiments in Coastal Ecology: Improving Realism and Advancing Theory",

abstract = "The Multiscale Experimental Ecosystem Research Center has conducted a series of mesocosm experiments to quantify the effects of scale - in terms of time, depth, radius, exchange rate, and ecological complexity - on biogeochemical processes and trophic dynamics in a variety of coastal habitats. The results indicate that scale effects can be categorized as (a) fundamental effects, which are evident in both natural and experimental ecosystems, and (b) artifacts of enclosure, which are solely attributable to the artificial environment in mesocosms. We conclude that multiscale experiments increase researchers' understanding of scale in nature and improve their ability to design scale-sensitive experiments, the results of which can be systematically compared with each other and extrapolated to nature.",

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author = "Petersen, \{John E.\} and Kemp, \{W. Michael\} and Rick Bartleson and Boynton, \{Walter R.\} and Chen, \{Chung Chi\} and Cornwell, \{Jeffrey C.\} and Gardner, \{Robert H.\} and Hinkle, \{Deborah C.\} and Houde, \{Edward D.\} and Malone, \{Thomas C.\} and Mowitt, \{William R.\} and Laura Murray and Sanford, \{Lawrence P.\} and Stevenson, \{J. Court\} and Sundberg, \{Karen L.\} and Suttles, \{Steve E.\}",

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AU - Chen, Chung Chi

AU - Cornwell, Jeffrey C.

AU - Gardner, Robert H.

AU - Hinkle, Deborah C.

AU - Houde, Edward D.

AU - Malone, Thomas C.

AU - Mowitt, William R.

AU - Murray, Laura

AU - Sanford, Lawrence P.

AU - Stevenson, J. Court

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AB - The Multiscale Experimental Ecosystem Research Center has conducted a series of mesocosm experiments to quantify the effects of scale - in terms of time, depth, radius, exchange rate, and ecological complexity - on biogeochemical processes and trophic dynamics in a variety of coastal habitats. The results indicate that scale effects can be categorized as (a) fundamental effects, which are evident in both natural and experimental ecosystems, and (b) artifacts of enclosure, which are solely attributable to the artificial environment in mesocosms. We conclude that multiscale experiments increase researchers' understanding of scale in nature and improve their ability to design scale-sensitive experiments, the results of which can be systematically compared with each other and extrapolated to nature.

KW - Experimental design

KW - Extrapolation

KW - Mesocosm

KW - Scale

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Multiscale Experiments in Coastal Ecology: Improving Realism and Advancing Theory

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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