Development and interpretation of ecological datasets for conservation planning and natural resources management

This dissertation is an exploration of the creation, evaluation and utilization of large spatial datasets in the field of Ecology. I describe the creation and evaluation of a digital vegetation map for Napa County, the use of another vegetation map in developing a regional conservation plan, and the use of a spatial dataset in assessing the impacts of invasive bass on trout in over 3000 lakes in Ontario, Canada. Chapter one describes the development of a new vegetation map, and compares it to other digital vegetation maps to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of each. The discussion includes suggestions of how each map might be used. Chapter two uses another vegetation map as the basis to develop a regional conservation design for the central coast of California. The conservation design is then tested to see how well it represents other elements of biodiversity, forming a test of the umbrella species concept. Chapter three is an assessment of which of 3000 lakes are both environmentally suitable to invasion by bass, and have a food web structure that causes populations of the dominant predator, lake trout, to be sensitive to the invasion of trout.