Two tools for integrating geology into ecosystem studies

Abstract

Increased interest in understanding ecosystems as a basis for land management requires new approaches for incorporating geology into the process. Limited work performed by geologists to ensure adequate information about geologic interrelationships with the biosphere is available to land managers and other earth scientists. This paper proposes two processes that will aid in increasing the amount and quality of geologic information available to land managers and other earth scientists. First, the geologic integration with ecosystem matrix is a computer data-base format presenting the chemical and physical interrelationships of geology with the biosphere. Second, the geologic terrane land unit hierarchy is an approach to segregating the earth's surface into a hierarchy of land units to simplify applying data-base information to the land.