Multivariate Analysis of the Ecoregion Delineation for Aquatic Systems |
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Authors: | G Darrel Jenerette Jay Lee David W Waller Robert E Carlson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA, US;(2) Department of Geography, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA, US;(3) Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA, US |
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Abstract: | The ecoregion concept is a popular method of understanding the spatial distribution of the environment', however, it has yet
to be adequately demonstrated that the environment is distributed in accordance with these bounded units. In this paper, we
generated a testable hypothesis based on the current usage of ecoregions: the ecoregion classification will allow for discrimination
between lakes of different water quality. The ecoregion classification should also be more effective better than a comparably
scaled classification based on political boundaries, land-use class, or random grouping. To test this hypothesis we used the
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) lake water chemistry data from the northeast United States. The water
chemistry data were reduced to four components using principal component analysis. For comparison to an optimal grouping of
these data we used K-means cluster analysis to define the extent at which these lakes could be segregated into distinct classes.
Jackknifed discriminant analysis was used to determine the classification rate of ecoregions, the three alternative spatial
classification methods, and the clustering algorithm. The classification based on ecoregions was successful for 35% of the
lakes included in this study, in comparison to the clustered groups accuracy of 98%. These results suggest that the large
scale spatial distribution of ecosystem types is more complicated than that suggested by the present ecoregion boundaries.
Further tests of ecoregion delineations are needed and alternative large-scale management strategies should be investigated. |
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Keywords: | : Ecoregion EMAP Jackknife discriminant analysis Water quality management |
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