Scale dependence in habitat selection: the case of the endangered brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the Cantabrian Range (NW Spain)

Animals select habitat resources at multiple spatial scales. Thus, explicit attention to scale dependency in species–habitat relationships is critical to understand the habitat suitability patterns as perceived by organisms in complex landscapes. Identification of the scales at which particular environmental variables influence habitat selection may be as important as the selection of variables themselves. In this study, we combined bivariate scaling and Maximum entropy (Maxent) modeling to investigate multiscale habitat selection of endangered brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations in northwest Spain. Bivariate scaling showed that the strength of apparent habitat relationships was highly sensitive to the scale at which predictor variables are evaluated. Maxent models on the optimal scale for each variable suggested that landscape composition together with human disturbances was dominant drivers of bear habitat selection, while habitat configuration and edge effects were substantially less influential. We found that explicitly optimizing the scale of habitat suitability models considerably improved single-scale modeling in terms of model performance and spatial prediction. We found that patterns of brown bear habitat suitability represent the cumulative influence of habitat selection across a broad range of scales, from local resources within habitat patches to the landscape composition at broader spatial scales.     

Exploring the Scale Effects of Trade-offs and Synergies of Multifunctional Cultivated Land—Evidence from Wuhan Metropolitan Area

The purpose of this paper is to explore the trade-offs and synergies of multifunctional cultivated land (MCL) at multiple scales. The study area is Wuhan Metropolitan Area, China. The entropy method and the method of Spearman's rank correlation were employed for the analysis of combined land use/cover data, administrative division data, population data and statistical yearbook data, from the multi-scale perspectives of cities, counties and townships. The results showed that: (1) The multi-functionality of cultivated land had obvious spatial differences and its overall spatial patterns were relatively robust, which did not change very much at the single scale. (2) At each single scale, the MCL's trade-offs and synergies had spatial heterogeneity. (3) Scale effects existed in the MCL's trade-offs and synergies. From the prefecture-level city scale, to the county scale, and to the township scale, the MCL's trade-offs were changed to synergies, and some synergic relationships were enhanced. This article contributes to the literature by deepening the multiscale analysis of trade-offs and synergies of multifunctional cultivated land. The conclusions might provide a basis for helping policy-makers to implement protection measures for the multi-functionality of cultivated land at the right spatial scale, and to promote the higher-level synergies of multifunctional cultivated land to realize its sustainable use.     

Scale dependent effects in resource selection by crop-raiding Japanese macaques in Niigata Prefecture,Japan

A resource selection function is one that yields values proportional to the probability of use of a resource unit. This quantity is influenced by the heterogeneity of landscape structures, which occurs over multiple spatial scales. To provide input into wildlife management strategies, we investigated the scale dependency and functional responses of Japanese macaques using multiple scale analysis. The multiple buffers with radii of 100, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500 m were defined as the spatial scale. Crop damage was predicted at the within-home range scale, using the Random Forests algorithm with environmental variables linked to resource selection of Japanese macaques. Sixteen environmental variables were defined, covering aspects of landscape configuration, human disturbance, topography, and adopted countermeasures. Crop damage was most accurately predicted within a buffer zone of 1000 m, although radii exceeding 1000 m were also highly accurate. Although the importance of variables differed among spatial extents, the functional responses for each environmental variable were independent of spatial extent. These results suggest that the limiting factors of crop damage depend on spatial extent, while functional responses in resource selection remain constant across spatial extents. We also compared a multi-scale gradient map with a typical binary map to demonstrate the uncertainty in damage predictions at different spatial scales. Our results may aid wildlife management planning, for which differences in resource selection across different spatial scales are critically important.     

Patterns of diversity of the Monte Desert small mammals across multiple spatial scales

The relationship between spatial scale and biodiversity patterns is a highly debated topic in ecology. We evaluated the partition of small mammal diversity at multiple spatial scales and analyzed protected areas in order to evaluate their role of protecting biodiversity at the regional scale. Diversity of small mammals in the Monte Desert was quantified at the regional biome scale (96,000 km²) (γ) and partitioned at three spatial scales: aridity range (α₃,n = 6,16 000 km²), locality level (α₂,n = 18,2-3 ha), and habitat patch (α₁,n = 51,0.6 ha). We estimated their diversity using an additive approach with three indices (richness, Shannon-Weiner, Simpson). Diversity was higher than expected at the “between aridity range (β₃)” scale, but lower at the “within-habitat scale (α₁)”. Alpha was higher than beta diversity for most spatial scales; and at the regional scale protected areas preserved a higher biodiversity than unprotected ones. Our results are the first to partition the diversity of desert small mammals at multiple spatial scales and to support the hypotheses of an irregular scale dependence of alpha and beta diversity when increasing the spatial scales. They also highlight that a better understanding of biodiversity patterns is gained when several tools are integrated and combined at different spatial scales.     

中部地区经济差异的空间尺度效应分析

为深入分析空间尺度选择对区域经济差异的影响,采用变异系数、基尼系数和锡尔系数等指标在省、市和县三级空间尺度重复使用的方法和尺度方差分析法,选取人口、GDP和人均GDP 3项指标,分析1990-2007年我国中部地区区域经济差异的空间尺度效应。1)采用同一指标在3个尺度上重复使用的方法分析结果存在很大差别,市、县尺度上区域经济差异都有扩大趋势,但与省尺度上的趋势相异,尤其2003年后市、县尺度上区域经济差异呈扩大趋势,而在省尺度却呈缩小趋势;2)尺度方差分析也显示市、县尺度上结果较为一致,并在1997年达到低值后均有明显扩大趋势,这与省尺度上的趋势相异,尤为明显的是,2003年后区域经济差异在省尺度呈缩小趋势。尺度方差分解和锡尔系数分解结果表明:市际和县际差异是造成中部地区经济差异的主要因素,省际差异的影响很小。因此,在进行区域经济差异分析时应尽量选择较小空间尺度。     

Spatial Scale Problems and Geostatistical Solutions: A Review

The concept of spatial scale is fundamental to geography, as are the problems of integrating data obtained at different scales. The availability of GIS has provided an appropriate environment to re‐scale data prior to subsequent integration, but few tools with which to implement the re‐scaling. This sparsity of appropriate tools arises primarily because the nature of the spatial variation of interest is often poorly understood and, specifically, the patterns of spatial dependence and error are unknown. Spatial dependence can be represented and modelled using geostatistical approaches providing a basis for the subsequent re‐scaling of spatial data (e.g., via spatial interpolation). Geostatistical techniques can also be used to model the effects of re‐scaling data through the geostatistical operation of regularization. Regularization provides a means by which to re‐scale the statistics and functions that describe the data rather than the data themselves. These topics are reviewed in this paper and the importance of the spatial scale problems that remain is emphasized.     

The place of individuals in the politics of scale

Conceptualizations and re-conceptualizations of scale have been powerful tools for explaining spatial processes that transcend traditionally-bounded territories. Examining the role of individuals within a politics of scale can do even more to explain multi-scalar conflicts. This paper does so by examining struggles over airport expansion in the US, showing how an understanding of the various roles of individuals in the politics of scale – as sites of multiple scales, as actors constituting other scales, and as scales in and of themselves – better explains multi-scalar conflicts and offers more opportunities for resolving them.     

不同尺度下交通对空间流动性的影响

交通的变化对社会经济空间组织产生了重大影响。在宏观与微观尺度下,从理论上分析了交通对空间流动性的影响,借鉴物理学中动能与势能转化理论,构建了单一城市的流动性测度方法,并基于ArcGIS软件的空间分析方法,使用2005年、2010年和2015年的电子地图数据和统计数据,以全国285个设区市和典型市域——赣州市为研究区开展了实证研究。结果表明：① 交通流是空间流动性最显性的表现,与时间、空间及距离相互作用,形成特殊的空间组织形式—流动空间。② 不同尺度下交通对空间流动性的影响表现不一：宏观尺度下,交通的改变使区际流动空间得以生成,相互依赖程度也随着流动性的增强而增强,微观尺度下,交通的变化改变了城市内部的空间组织。③ 全国主要设区市陆路交通网密度呈阶梯状分布,中心城市和交通变化量最大的城市流动性最大,交通的变化对设区市的流动有明显的正向带动作用,对市域内人流的迁移与扩散、功能区的范围扩展与方向迁移、精英空间的变化具有较为显著的引导作用。     

西方尺度研究进展：概念化框架、实践路径及启示

通过梳理西方尺度研究的内涵和主要内容,发现尺度主要包含尺度本体论、尺度隐喻和尺度实践3个主要要素。尺度的本体论认为尺度是静态的等级化的物质实体,尺度的隐喻体现在尺度可通过话语进行多样化的解构和表达,尺度实践表示尺度通过不同行动者间的互动进行社会建构以实现尺度的再创造。尺度的3个要素之间既有统一性又有对立性：在统一性上,尺度本体论为尺度隐喻与尺度实践的实现创造了前提,尺度隐喻及尺度实践发展了尺度本体论;在对立性上,尺度本体论是实在论立场,尺度隐喻和尺度实践是建构论的产物。西方尺度研究主要经历了2个典型的阶段：将尺度物化为固定的空间实体;不同行动主体运用尺度进行社会实践或话语表达。这启示中国化的尺度研究需要将两者结合起来,既要承认物质空间实体的作用,也要接受行动者的能动性,将尺度看作是人、物相互作用的关系网络。文章展示了尺度概念化框架并实现了尺度的应用路径归纳,具体体现在尺度化、尺度解构及尺度政治3个方面。同时提出将资源配置效果纳入到尺度实践的分析要素之中以实现尺度的政治经济,这不仅扩充了尺度的理论内涵,还增加了尺度的实践应用效果和范围。     

Scale Dependencies of Vegetation and Topography in a Mountainous Environment of Montana

This research examines the effects of spatial scale on estimating the relationship between vegetation biomass and topography within a portion of Glacier National Park, Montana. The Reflectance/Absorptance vegetation index, developed from processed Landsat Thematic Mapper digital data, is related to three topographic variables obtained through processed Digital Elevation Models: elevation, slope angle, and slope aspect. R² values between the vegetation index and the topographic variables are obtained from regression analyses at a series of aggregated spatial scales. The effective range of spatial scales within which the two sets of variables are spatially dependent and the degree of the spatial dependencies are characterized through semivariance and fractal analyses.     

闽东北沿海罗源县土地利用空间分布格局的 多尺度分析

在不同的空间尺度上,制约土地利用空间分布的影响因子及其影响程度并不相同,因此区域空间分布格局 分析应优先考虑制约空间分布的影响因子识别及其影响程度的尺度依赖性的研究。本文以闽东沿海的罗源县为研 究区域,采样统计方法与GIS 技术,选取20 个候选影响因子,研究了该县主要土地利用空间分布格局的影响因子 及其空间尺度相关性。研究表明模型的解释能力、影响因子及其影响系数均会随研究尺度发生不同程度的变化,回 归模型的解释能力以及主要影响因子的制约程度总体上均随研究尺度增大呈增强趋势。除受坡度、海拔高程等地 形条件的严格制约外,罗源县主要地类均在一定程度上受到人口因素以及若干可达性因素的影响。     

Multi‐scale spatiotemporal analyses of moose–vehicle collisions: a case study in northern Vermont

Moose–vehicle collisions (MVCs) pose a serious safety and environmental concern in many regions of Europe and North America. For example, in the state of Vermont, one‐third of all reported MVCs resulted in motorist injury or fatality while collisions have increased from two in 1982 to 164 in 2002. Our work used a MVC dataset from 1983 to 1999 in the Northeastern Highlands of Vermont (four major roads) to perform space, time and spatiotemporal analyses and guide future mitigation strategies. An adapted kernel density estimator was implemented for exploratory analyses to detect high density collision hotspots on roads. The kernel in space showed seven major density peaks which varied in magnitude and spread between roads. The kernel estimator in time for all roads showed an exponentially increasing trend with annual periodicity and a seasonal cyclic component, where the majority of collisions occurred from May to October. Spatiotemporal kernel estimation exhibited discontinuous density hotspots in time and space suggesting changing animal movement patterns across roads. We used an adapted Ripley's K‐function to test the hypothesis that MVCs clustering occurred at multiple scales in space, in time and in space–time combined. Statistically significant spatial clustering was evident on all roads at spatial scales from 2 to 10 km. A more consistent clustering in time occurred on all roads at a scale distance of 5 years. Similar to the kernel estimation, annual periodicity was also evident. Positive space–time clustering was present at small spatial (5 km) and temporal scales (2 years) indicating that where MVCs occur is also influenced by when they occur. In retrospect, using multiple road lengths, and the combined kernel estimation and Ripley's K‐function in time and space, provided a powerful methodology to study varying spatiotemporal patterns of wildlife collisions along roads. This can greatly assist transportation planners in identifying optimal mitigation strategies along specific roads, such as deciding on location and spatial length for permanent and expensive measures (e.g. crossing structures and associated fencing) versus less permanent and inexpensive structures (e.g. wildlife signage and reduced speed limits).     

城市景观格局尺度效应的空间统计规律--以上海中心城区为例

以上海市外环以内的中心城区为区域背景,基于SPOT全色波段遥感影像数据和GIS技术,运用空间统计分析方法,研究城市景观格局的空间尺度效应。研究结果表明:(1)城市景观格局的空间自相关性具有显著的尺度依赖性。Moran指数I与Geary系数c对粒度变化的敏感点相同,均为50m。(2)城市景观形态具有分形特征,各类景观斑块的分维数对粒度变化的响应不同,它们随着粒度的变化呈非线性变化趋势;在粒度较小时,各类景观斑块之间的分维数差异较大,而随着粒度的增大,其分维数之间的差异逐渐缩小。(3)城市景观多样性格局,与空间区位及人类活动的空间格局息息相关。在城市中心,主导型景观是经济效益较高的商业文化景观,并且景观斑块聚集度、破碎度大;经济效益较低的农业景观分布在城市边缘区,而且景观类型单一,斑块面积较大,破碎度较小;在由城市中心向边缘过渡的中间地带,景观类型多样,空间格局复杂。(4)景观多样性具有尺度依赖性。随着幅度的增加,景观多样性指数逐渐增大,多样性的空间格局也显著变化。在0.5km幅度下,多样性指数的最大值出现在市中心,从市中心向外呈现高低起伏的环状模式扩展,随着幅度增加,多样性指数的高值区向景观类型变化最剧烈的城乡过渡地带转移。(5)景观多样性的空间变异也具有明显的尺度依赖性。在较     

基于多源遥感数据的区域生态系统服务价值年际动态监测 ——以中原城市群为例

通过对多源遥感数据在生态系统服务价值（ESV）遥感模型中的尺度效应分析,选择满足最佳空间分辨率和长时间序列的遥感数据,对中原城市群区域2001~2013年的ESV实现了逐年逐像元水平的动态监测。结果表明：该区应用于遥感模型输入数据的最适空间分辨率为30~1 000 m,相对于30 m尺度,其他尺度估算结果的相对偏差均小于0.4%;结合年际动态监测的需求,选择了MODIS数据产品（空间分辨率500 m,时间尺度1 a）作为遥感模型的最佳数据源;研究区ESV总值在研究期内整体上呈显著增长趋势,增速约为8.6亿元/a,但在持续增长过程中经历了3次波动,且表现得越来越剧烈;在空间上,研究区ESV多年均值呈现出明显的不均衡性,表现为从西南向东部递减的趋势。研究表明此方法简单易行,初步实现了区域ESV年际动态监测遥感模型的准业务化运行。     

广州市土地覆被格局异质性的尺度与等级特征

基于SPOT遥感数据源形成广州市土地覆被类型图,在中心城区选取互相垂直的南北和东西两条样带,用Fortran编程计算各样带在125m、250m、500m和1000m 4个幅度下的景观多样性指数,以及Moran I、Geary C系数和半变异函数。再将样带分别自北向南和自西向东等间距划分,形成一系列面积相等的区域,计算各区域以及样带整体上的多样性指数的尺度方差。结果表明,土地覆被景观多样性在不同的研究幅度下都存在正的空间自相关性,并具有方向性。尺度方差结果显示,尺度方差与尺度和幅度都有关,随着研究尺度增大,尺度方差都呈下降之势,而随幅度增大,尺度方差并非单调变化。如125m和250m两种幅度时,方差随着尺度增大而减少。尺度方差结果进一步揭示研究样带上土地覆被存在多尺度等级结构,并且具有方向性特点,同时也反映尺度方差不失为景观异质性研究的一种有效方法。     

多尺度视角下耕地利用功能转型及驱动力分析——以甘肃省为例

根据诱致性生产替代理论,构建耕地利用功能转型的理论分析框架,并运用其综合分析方法从省域、区域、县域尺度揭示了甘肃耕地利用功能转型的特征与规律。结果表明：① 甘肃省耕地利用功能正处于从经济社会型向生态经济型转型的过渡期;5大区域耕地利用功能均已转型并呈现出两种状态;86个县区耕地利用功能转型结果呈现出4种状态、差异较大,但空间分布具有一定的规律性。② 耕地利用功能转型结果在不同尺度上呈现出较大的差异,空间尺度效应显著,且尺度越小其转型结果的差异越复杂。③ 耕地利用功能转型的驱动力主要体现在城镇化率与经济水平、社会发展与技术进步等方面。可以通过提高城镇化率与经济发展水平来增加收入、提升消费水平和改善饮食结构,同时,依靠技术进步、政策调节来保障耕地利用功能的合理转型。最后,从利益调配和考核评价两方面提出了耕地利用功能转型管理的建议。     

栅格化属性精度损失的评估方法及其尺度效应(英文)

Rasterization is a conversion process accompanied with information loss, which includes the loss of features’ shape, structure, position, attribute and so on. Two chief factors that affect estimating attribute accuracy loss in rasterization are grid cell size and evaluating method. That is, attribute accuracy loss in rasterization has a close relationship with grid cell size; besides, it is also influenced by evaluating methods. Therefore, it is significant to analyze these two influencing factors comprehensively. Taking land cover data of Sichuan at the scale of 1:250,000 in 2005 as a case, in view of data volume and its processing time of the study region, this study selects 16 spatial scales from 600 m to 30 km, uses rasterizing method based on the Rule of Maximum Area (RMA) in ArcGIS and two evaluating methods of attribute accuracy loss, which are Normal Analysis Method (NAM) and a new Method Based on Grid Cell (MBGC), respectively, and analyzes the scale effect of attribute (it is area here) accuracy loss at 16 different scales by these two evaluating methods comparatively. The results show that: (1) At the same scale, average area accuracy loss of the entire study region evaluated by MBGC is significantly larger than the one estimated using NAM. Moreover, this discrepancy between the two is obvious in the range of 1 km to 10 km. When the grid cell is larger than 10 km, average area accuracy losses calculated by the two evaluating methods are stable, even tended to parallel. (2) MBGC can not only estimate RMA rasterization attribute accuracy loss accurately, but can express the spatial distribution of the loss objectively. (3) The suitable scale domain for RMA rasterization of land cover data of Sichuan at the scale of 1:250,000 in 2005 is better equal to or less than 800 m, in which the data volume is favorable and the processing time is not too long, as well as the area accuracy loss is less than 2.5%.     

Multi‐scale correlations between topography and vegetation in a hillside catchment of Honduras

All systems have causes and effects that can be appreciated at different spatial scales. Understanding and representing the complexity of multi‐scale patterns in maps and spatial models are key research objectives. We describe the use of three types of correlation analyses: (1) a standard Pearson correlation coefficient, (2) a ‘global’ multi‐scale correlation, and (3) local geographically weighted correlation. These methods were applied to topographic and vegetation indices in a small catchment in Honduras that is representative of the country's hillsides agro‐ecosystem which suffers from severe environmental degradation due to land‐use decisions that lead to deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable agricultural. If the geographical scale at which topography matters for land‐use allocation can be determined, then integration of knowledge systems can be focused. Our preliminary results show that: (1) single‐scale correlations do not adequately represent the relationship between NDVI and topographic indices; (2) peaks in the global multi‐scale correlations in agricultural areas coincided with the median farm size, but there was no evidence of any community or larger‐scale land‐use planning or optimization; and (3) local multi‐scale correlations varied considerably from the global results at all scales, and these variations have a strong spatial structure which may indicate local optimization of land use.     

栅格化属性精度损失的评估方法及其尺度效应分析——以四川省1:25 万土地覆被数据为例

选择在600 m~30 km 16 个尺度上,在ArcGIS 中利用常用的面积最大值法(Rule ofMaximum Area,RMA) 对2005 年四川省1:25 万土地覆被矢量数据进行栅格化,并采用两种属性精度损失评估方法：传统的常规分析方法和一种新的基于栅格单元分析方法,来对比分析在这两种评估方法下RMA栅格化的属性(这里是指面积) 精度损失随尺度的变化特征。结果表明：(1) 在同一尺度下采用基于栅格单元方法分析所得的研究区平均属性精度损失大于常规分析方法分析得到的平均属性精度损失,且二者之间的差异在1~10 km内很明显,当栅格单元大于10km时,两种方法得到的平均属性精度损失的差值稳定,且其随尺度的变化曲线趋于平行;(2) 基于栅格单元分析方法不仅能够准确地定量估计RMA栅格化的属性精度损失,而且能客观地反映属性精度损失的空间分布规律;(3) 对四川省1:25 万土地覆被数据进行面积最大值法(RMA)栅格化的适宜尺度域最好不要超过800 m,在该尺度域内数据工作量适宜,且RMA栅格化属性精度损失小于2.5%。     

Scale variance analysis coupled with Moran's I scalogram to identify hierarchy and characteristic scale

Scale variance is highly sensitive to multi-scale patterns of variables, which is advantageous in identifying spatial hierarchy and characteristic scale(s). However, the significance of peak(s) in scale variance cannot be statistically tested, and different spatial patterns may be obtained when different zoning systems are used to calculate scale variance. To address these two problems, this study compared the scale levels with peaks in scale variance and the scale levels at which there were breaks in the nature of spatial autocorrelation as identified by shifts in Moran's I scalogram. The estimates for three simulated landscapes showed that accordance between scale levels identified employing the two methods can be used to evaluate the significance of peaks in scale variance and choose a more reasonable zoning system. The approach of scale variance analysis coupled with Moran's I scalogram was also applied to the Xilin River Basin of Inner Mongolia, China. The most vital characteristic scale (64 × 32 km) identified for the growing-season net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of the basin was validated by other spatial pattern analysis methods such as semi-variogram, Moran's I correlogram, and wavelet variance analyses, and the directionality of the chosen zoning systems was found to be similar to the orientation of actual dominant vegetation type patches. The results demonstrate that Moran's I scalogram can be used to improve the interpretation of the results of scale variance analysis and increase the reliability of scale variance analysis for landscapes having a repetitive patch pattern or gradient variation and that the proposed approach is suitable for identifying the hierarchy and the characteristic scales of patterns or processes. In summary, this study used a simple approach to solve two problems in scale variance analysis, thereby improving the methodology and enhancing the theoretical basis of multi-scale analysis.