Complexity for artificial substrates (CASU): software for creating and visualising habitat complexity.

ABSTRACT: Physical habitat complexity regulates the structure and function of biological communities, although the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Urbanisation, pollution, unsustainable resource exploitation and climate change have resulted in the widespread simplification (and loss) of habitats worldwide. One way to restore physical complexity to anthropogenically simplified habitats is through the use of artificial substrates, which also offer excellent opportunities to explore the effects of different components (variables) of complexity on biodiversity and community structure that would be difficult to separate in natural systems. Here, we describe a software program (CASU) that enables users to visualise static, physical complexity. CASU also provides output files that c

SUBMITTER: Loke LH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3925107 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature