Ecological Scaling

From local processes to global patterns

Ecological understanding often begins with observations made at small spatial and temporal scales. Yet environmental decisions are typically made at the scale of landscapes, regions, and nations.

How can we translate local ecological knowledge into predictions and solutions at larger scales?

This challenge lies at the heart of ecological scaling.

Why scaling matters

Many ecological theories have been developed using small-scale experiments and local observations. However, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management, and sustainability challenges require understanding how ecological processes operate across broader spatial and temporal scales.

Without scaling, our ability to predict ecosystem responses to environmental change remains limited.

Key research questions

  • How do local ecological interactions scale to landscapes and regions?
  • How does biodiversity influence ecosystem functioning across scales?
  • How does spatial heterogeneity affect ecosystem resilience?
  • How can ecological knowledge be translated into sustainable management?
  • What mechanisms connect local processes with large-scale ecosystem patterns?

Our approach

  • Large-scale field experiments
  • Landscape ecology
  • Global monitoring networks
  • Remote sensing
  • Citizen science
  • Statistical and theoretical scaling approaches

Representative research topics

Scaling biodiversity–ecosystem functioning

Understanding how biodiversity effects change across spatial scales.

Ecological stability across scales

Investigating how variability and resilience emerge from local and regional processes.

Multifunctional landscapes

Studying how biodiversity and ecosystem services are maintained in complex landscapes.

Ecological forecasting

Improving predictions of ecosystem responses to environmental change.

Research platforms and networks

People