Spatial Scale and Biodiversity

The scale of observation leaves an indelible mark on our understanding of biodiversity. Despite wide recognition among ecologists that scale is important, most theories of biodiversity and coexistence treat mechanisms as scale-independent (e.g., coexistence theory). Furthermore, most empirical tests of theory are still only performed at a single spatial scale. A fuller understanding of scale is likely to help resolve some of ecology’s ongoing controversies. Does biodiversity increase productivity? Is the world experiencing the sixth major mass extinction? Are species interactions relevant to understanding biodiversity? Does exotic biodiversity decrease native biodiversity? We know the answers to these questions depend in large part on scale. However simply recognizing that scale plays a role is not sufficient, and currently several bodies of theory are emerging that provide a vision of a more unified ecology in which scale plays a central role. Ultimately, the daunting problems facing biodiversity require that we consider scale directly in our hypotheses. The goal of this bibliography is to highlight key papers that define scale and discuss how it influences biodiversity patterns. Another Oxford Bibliographies in Ecology article, “Species-Area Relationships” by Samantha M. Tessel, Kyle A. Palmquist, and Robert K. Peet is devoted entirely to the species-area relationship and therefore that topic is covered in less depth here.