| 2005), The potential of multivariate quantitative methods for delineation and visualization of ecoregions, Environ (2004) | |||||||||||||||||
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| ABSTRACT / Multivariate clustering based on fine spatial resolution maps of elevation, temperature, precipitation, soil characteristics, and solar inputs has been used at several specified levels of division to produce a spectrum of quantitative ecoregion maps for the conterminous United States. The coarse ecoregion divisions accurately capture intuitively-understood regional environmental differences, whereas the finer divisions highlight local condition gradients, ecotones, and clines. Such statistically generated ecoregions can be produced based on user-selected continuous variables, allowing customized regions to be delineated for any specific problem. By creating an objective ecoregion classification, the ecoregion concept is removed Ecoregions are designed to help users visualize and understand similarities across complex multivariate environmental factors by grouping areas into like categories. The basis for such groupings has many contentious conceptual underpinnings. Debate abounds as to whether ecoregions should be specialized for a particular use or general purpose, spatially contiguous versus disjunct, nestable versus nonhierarchical, and whether ecoregions can be defensible as units of management, legislation, or even ecological triage (Omernik 1995, 2003; Overton and others 2002; Leathwick and others 2003). Supreme among these issues, however, is the question of whether ecoregions can (or should) be delineated using quantitative statistical methods or whether they can only be drawn | |||||||||||||||||
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