Ecosystem risk is also higher along the western edge of agricultural lands. The methods and model developed in this project are far simpler than what exists in the real ecosystem. Many assumptions and omissions have been made during the formulation of this model. First, I would like to address the error associated with using human-imposed boundaries instead of natural boundaries. The Yolo County political boundary was used as the boundary of the ecosystem.
Error always results from imposing a distinct boundary on what exists as a gradation in nature.
To compound this, the political boundary used is for the most part not a reflection of the ecosystem boundary. The only portion of the imposed boundary that coincides with a natural boundary is where the Sacramento River forms the eastern edge of Yolo County. For an ecosystem-level assessment 1 square mile is a reasonable resolution, but many finer habitat gradations have will have been lost. Second, I would like to address the error associated with the methodology used to develop the data sets. Ecosystem integrity was based on 29 rare species within Yolo County.