Authors: J. A. Jones; P. M. Groffman; J. Blair; F. W. Davis; H. Dugan; E. E. Euskirchen; S. D. Frey; T. K. Harms; E. Hinckley; M. Kosmala; S. Loberg; S. Malone; K. Novick; S. Record; A. V. Rocha; B.L. Ruddell; E. H. Stanley; C. Sturtevant; A. Thorpe; T. White; W. R. Wieder; L Zhai; K. Zhu.
Source: Earth's Future, 8, e2020EF001631.
Publication type: Article
Abstract: Many research and monitoring networks in recent decades have provided publicly available data documenting environmental and ecological change, but little is known about the status of efforts to synthesize this information across networks. We convened a working group to assess ongoing and potential cross鈥恘etwork synthesis research and outline opportunities and challenges for the future, focusing on the US鈥恇ased research network (the US Long鈥怲erm Ecological Research network, LTER) and monitoring network (the National Ecological Observatory Network, NEON). LTER鈥怤EON cross鈥恘etwork research synergies arise from the potentials for LTER measurements, experiments, models, and observational studies to provide context and mechanisms for interpreting NEON data, and for NEON measurements to provide standardization and broad scale coverage that complement LTER studies. Initial cross鈥恘etwork syntheses at co鈥恖ocated sites in the LTER and NEON networks are addressing six broad topics: how long鈥恡erm vegetation change influences C fluxes; how detailed remotely鈥恠ensed data reveal vegetation structure and function; aquatic鈥恡errestrial connections of nutrient cycling; ecosystem response to soil biogeochemistry and microbial processes; population and species responses to environmental change; and disturbance, stability and resilience. This initial work offers exciting potentials for expanded cross鈥恘etwork syntheses involving multiple long鈥恡erm ecosystem processes at regional or continental scales. These potential syntheses could provide a pathway for the broader scientific community, beyond LTER and NEON, to engage in cross鈥恘etwork science. These examples also apply to many other research and monitoring networks in the US and globally, and can guide scientists and research administrators in promoting broad鈥恠cale research that supports resource management and environmental policy.
Plain Language Summary: Today many research networks and monitoring networks exist in ecology and environmental science. Their complementary designs and publicly available results and data can create powerful synergies. Long鈥恡erm, hypothesis鈥恇ased mechanistic research can provide context and explanations for data produced by monitoring networks while the standardization and broad coverage of monitoring networks can provide context for long鈥恡erm ecological research. Recent efforts have combined results and data from two US鈥恇ased science networks: the Long鈥怲erm Ecological Research (LTER) network and the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). We describe how these initial efforts could be expanded in six broad areas, that would provide opportunities for the broader scientific community to engage with LTER and NEON, and may also be relevant to other cross鈥恘etwork syntheses in the US and globally.