Scale inference is the process of expanding the information and knowledge obtained on one scale to other scales or exploring the cross-scale characteristics of ecological structure and function through multi-scale research. In this process, there are three levels of content: scaling up or scaling down; reorganization or appearance of system elements and structures with scale change; speculate and study problems on other scales according to the information (elements, structures, characteristics, etc.) on a certain scale with certain laws or methods. Among them, the scale studied is a kind of space-time scale, which refers to the time and space dimensions of the object or process studied and is often described by grain and extent.
Edited and translated by Zhang Yifei