Macrosystems ecology: understanding ecological patterns and processes at continental scales
Open accessAbstract
Macrosystems ecology is the study of diverse ecological phenomena at the scale of regions to continents and their interactions with phenomena at other scales. This emerging subdiscipline addresses ecological questions and environmental problems at these broad scales. Here, we describe this new field, show how it relates to modern ecological study, and highlight opportunities that stem from taking a macrosystems perspective. We present a hierarchical framework for investigating macrosystems at any level of ecological organization and in relation to broader and finer scales. Building on well‐established theory and concepts from other subdisciplines of ecology, we identify feedbacks, linkages among distant regions, and interactions that cross scales of space and time as the most likely sources of unexpected and novel behaviors in macrosystems. We present three examples that highlight the importance of this multiscaled systems perspective for understanding the ecology of regions to continents.
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Disciplinary diversity in type and number of individuals per discipline is desirable for macrosystems ecology research.
“Disciplinary diversityin terms of both type and number of individuals per disciplineis desirable for macrosystems ecology research (Heffernan et al. 2014).”
From Creating and maintaining high‐performing collaborative research teams: the importance of diversity and interpersonal skills (2014) · cites this paper as Heffernan et al. 2014
Cites
Population diversity and the portfolio effect in an exploited species
Schindler, D. E., Hilborn, R., Chasco, B., Boatright, C. P., Quinn, T. P., Rogers, L. A., & Webster, M. S. (2010) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature09060 · Cited by 1,605 · see citing works
Nepstad, D. C., Stickler, C. M., Filho, B. S., & Merry, F. (2008) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2007.0036 · Cited by 725 · see citing works
Cheruvelil, K. S., Soranno, P. A., Weathers, K. C., Hanson, P. C., Goring, S. J., Filstrup, C. T., & Read, E. K. (2014) · Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment · doi:10.1890/130001 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
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Cheruvelil, K. S., Soranno, P. A., Weathers, K. C., Hanson, P. C., Goring, S. J., Filstrup, C. T., & Read, E. K. (2014) · Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment · doi:10.1890/130001 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
Self-citationA tiered approach for mapping ecosystem services
Grêt-Regamey, A., Weibel, B., Kienast, F., Rabe, S.-E., & Zulian, G. (2015) · Ecosystem Services · doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2014.10.008 · Cited by 150 · see citing works
- Authors
- Heffernan, J. B., Soranno, P. A., Angilletta, M. J., Buckley, L. B., Gruner, D. S., Keitt, T. H., Kellner, J. R., Kominoski, J. S., Rocha, A. V., Xiao, J., Harms, T. K., Goring, S. J., Koenig, L. E., McDowell, W. H., Powell, H., Richardson, A. D., Stow, C. A., Vargas, R., & Weathers, K. C.
- Affiliations
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- University of Notre Dame (US)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US)
- Corresponding author
- Heffernan, James B
- ORCID
- Venue
- Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-02
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 5-14
- ISSN
- 1540-9295 (ISSN-L)
- 1540-9309
- OpenAlex
- W2138088346
- Cited by
- 358
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 33.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (publishedVersion)
- University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- DukeSpace (Duke University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Directorate for Biological Sciences
- Division of Emerging Frontiers
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
- Keywords
- regional ecology, hierarchical framework, cross-scale interactions, feedback, regional connectivity
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