Planktonic biodiversity: Scaling up and down

Kerfoot, W. Charles, Gary G. Mittelbach, Nelson G. Hairston, James J. Elser

Limnol. Oceanogr., 49(4_part_2), 2004, 1225-1228 | DOI: 10.4319/lo.2004.49.4_part_2.1225

ABSTRACT: Introductory article:
We held a conference on ‘‘Planktonic biodiversity: Scaling up and down’’ at the University of Michigan (29 September-2 October 2002). Sessions dealt with interactions of mixing and spatial heterogeneity within the aquatic medium; the nature of local adaptation versus influences of dispersal; integration of genetic, species, and community diversity responses over the landscape; and scaledependent biogeochemical coupling from ponds to entire watersheds. One central question pervaded the conference: Were there alternative explanations for conventional beliefs, revealed by invoking processes that operate at more complex spatial and temporal scales? Fifty talks spanned pond to coastal marine environments.