An integrated view of complex landscapes: A big data-model integration approach to transdisciplinary science

Debra P.C. Peters, N. Dylan Burruss, Luis L. Rodriguez, D. Scott McVey, Emile H. Elias, Angela M. Pelzel-Mccluskey, Justin D. Derner, T. Scott Schrader, Jin Yao, Steven J. Pauszek, Jason Lombard, Steven R. Archer, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Dawn M. Browning, Colby W. Brungard, Jerry L. Hatfield, Niall P. Hanan, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Gregory S. Okin, Osvaldo SalaHeather Savoy, Enrique Vivoni

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Earth is a complex system comprising many interacting spatial and temporal scales. We developed a transdisciplinary data-model integration (TDMI) approach to understand, predict, and manage for these complex dynamics that focuses on spatiotemporal modeling and cross-scale interactions. Our approach employs human-centered machine-learning strategies supported by a data science integration system (DSIS). Applied to ecological problems, our approach integrates knowledge and data on (a) biological processes, (b) spatial heterogeneity in the land surface template, and (c) variability in environmental drivers using data and knowledge drawn from multiple lines of evidence (i.e., observations, experimental manipulations, analytical and numerical models, products from imagery, conceptual model reasoning, and theory). We apply this transdisciplinary approach to a suite of increasingly complex ecologically relevant problems and then discuss how information management systems will need to evolve into DSIS to allow other transdisciplinary questions to be addressed in the future.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)653-669
Number of pages17
JournalBioScience
Volume68
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2018

Keywords

  • Cross-scale interactions
  • Data science
  • Earth science
  • Landscape ecology
  • Machine learning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'An integrated view of complex landscapes: A big data-model integration approach to transdisciplinary science'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this