Aguirre, A AlonsoBolen, Layne E.2022-08-032022-08-032021https://hdl.handle.net/1920/12915An ecosystem evaluation process was applied to the critically-endangered South Florida (S FL) pine rockland (PR)(pine/grassland) ecosystem, using a) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) surveys, and newly-developed (under-the-canopy) UAS manual flight methods; b) the synthesis of multiple data sources and types; and c) complex adaptive system (CAS) principles (redundancy, feedback loops, resiliency, alternative stable states), to identify healthy system indicators and evaluate system complexity and diversity; with the purpose of developing systematic ecosystem evaluation and reporting methods that contribute to the advancement of ecosystem protection policies, and the health assessment and conservation of global ecosystem biodiversity.387 pagesenCopyright 2021 Layne E. BolenBiologyConservation biologyEnvironmental studiesBiodiversityComplex Adaptive Systems (CAS)Ecological IndicatorsEcosystemLow Altitude Quadrat Imagery (LAQI)Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)Dissertation