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 crossnetwork synthesis research and outline opportunities and challenges for the future, focusing on the USbased research network (the US LongTerm Ecological Research network, LTER) and monitoring network (the National Ecological Observatory Network, NEON). LTERNEON crossnetwork 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 crossnetwork syntheses at colocated sites in the LTER and NEON networks are addressing six broad topics: how longterm vegetation change influences C fluxes; how detailed remotelysensed data reveal vegetation structure and function; aquaticterrestrial 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 crossnetwork syntheses involving multiple longterm 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 crossnetwork 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 broadscale 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. Longterm, hypothesisbased 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 longterm ecological research. Recent efforts have combined results and data from two USbased science networks: the LongTerm 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 crossnetwork syntheses in the US and globally.