Title: Terry Parr
1Terry Parr twp_at_ceh.ac.uk
2The International Long-term Ecological Research
Network (ILTER)
www.ilternet.edu
35 statements of the obvious
- Local and global ecosystems and their
biodiversity are under threat - So are the services they provide
- Long-term perspectives are required to understand
what is happening - Landscapes are multi-functional so ecological,
social, economic and political approaches are
required - a socio-ecological perspective
- Changes may be driven by very specific local
pressures or larger-scale global pressures
How do we begin to understand assess what is
going and provide management and policy solutions?
4LTER Research Demonstration sites Sites for
science, training and education
Understanding the processes of environmental
change and their impacts on biodiversity and
ecosystem services
Usually involves a combination of observations,
experiments and modellling
5Global Networking of Ecosystem research sites
LTER Sites
National Networks
Regional Networks
local
Global ILTER www.ilternet.edu
global
6Some Global Drivers
- Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
- need for scientific information on the
consequences of ecosystem change for human
well-being and options for responding.
- Global Earth Observation System of Systems
- Integrated Earth Observation System linking in
situ and remote sensing data - G8 commitment to implement in member states and
developing countries - Address 9 societal benefit areas including
climate change and biodiversity
- UN Framework Convention on Climate Change IPCC
- Mitigation
- Adaptation
- UNEP Climate Change Adaptation Programme
7ILTER The Future For Global Ecosystem Research ?
8- GOALS
- Foster collaboration amongst ILTER researchers
- Improve comparability and exchange of data
- Deliver scientific information to scientists,
policy makers and the public - Education and training
9 ILTER Membership and Governance
Chair Executive Committee 1 representative per
region (2 in Europe) Sub-committees Coordinatin
g Committee 1 representative per member ILTER
Members 36 national LTER networks
10Activities and Progress
- Public and policy Sub-Committee
- New Web-site (Jan 2008)
- Annual meeting in Slovakia (18-22 August 2008)
- Links to GEO/GEOSS
- Global Earth Observation System of Systems
- Applied to be formal partner in GEO
- Global Biodiversity Observation System
(GBOS)-GEO/Diversitas - UNEP Climate Change Adaptation Network
- Research Sub-Committee
11What are the main drivers and pressures on
ecosystems around the world and how are these
affecting ecosystem services?
Synthesis ILTER Is Adopting A Socio-ecological
Research Framework for an assessment of its sites
12- Q1 How do long-term press disturbances and
short-term pulse disturbances interact to alter
ecosystem structure and function? - Q2 How can biotic structure be both a cause and
consequence of ecological fluxes of energy
matter? - Q3 How do altered ecosystem dynamics affect
ecosystem services? - Q4 How do changes in vital ecosystem services
feed back to alter human behavior? - Q5 Which human actions influence the frequency,
magnitude, or form of press and pulse disturbance
regimes across ecosystems, and how do these
change across ecosystem types?
13Activities and Progress
- Data and information Sub-Committee
- Workshop
- Meta-data for interoperability reconciliation
of EML and ontology-based systems - China April 7-11 2008
14Activities and Progress
- Finance and Governance Sub-Committee
- ILTER is now a legal entity
- Project funds
- Subscriptions 20k per year and rising
- Fundraising for co-ordination NSF?
15(No Transcript)
16ALTER-Net A long-term biodiversity, ecosystem
and awareness research network
Integration of research
Integration of facilities
Networking European global
24 organisations 17 European countries
17Networking the next generation Joined-up data
for joined up thinking
Natural science collections observations
Terrestrial LTER sites
Marine reference and focal sites
EDIT
Life Watch A European Biodiversity Research
Infrastructure
18e-Science and Technology Infrastructure for
biodiversity data and observatories
19Aims at . . .
- bringing high quality scientific information,
knowledge and expertise together - with a system of observatories with wide and
long-term coverage, - and with integrated access to (genetic,
species-level and ecosystem) data - in a virtual environment
- offering analytical and modeling tools
- operating as a large scale infrastructure for
biodiversity research - with a service centre to support the user
community - and for the support of policy objectives
- by offering information knowledge required for
the understanding and management of our
ecosystems
20The LIFE WATCH infrastructure
Ecosystem data
Species-level data
Genomics data
data
21The LIFE WATCH infrastructure
Applications
Analytical and Modeling tools
Data access interoperability
Observatories and data providers
functions
22The LIFE WATCH infrastructure
Applications
Ecosystem data
Analytical and Modeling tools
Species-level data
Data access interoperability
Observatories and data providers
Genomics data
data
functions
23Life Watch infrastructure
data
24Data from various sources
- Continuous data stream from the different
eco-climatic zones in Europe and its neighbouring
regions. - New enabling technologies for data capture
- Data also originate from existing international
infrastructures, for example from GBIF or ESA. - Life Watch innovates new approaches for
infrastructure development
25Outline of the architecture
Specialized User portals
Data management
Data integration and interoperability
Enabling and acceleration of data generation
Grid workflow management
Portal interface
Analytical and Modelling tools
Ontologies for metadata
Interoperable tool repository
Service Center
26The preparatory project (2008-2010)
Coord. Management
Publicity PR
Risk Quality Control
EC funding
Strategy
Legal organisation
Financial plan
Construction policy
Service plan
National funding
Technical specifications
Pilot projects Case studies
Key deliverable Signature ready document for the
actual construction
27Scientific networks
Partnership in the preparatory project
Contracting participants
Countries
Executive participants
Other partners
Data networks
International infrastructures
User sectors
Industry
28Scientific networks
Partnership in the preparatory project
Contracting participants
Countries
Alternet BioCASE EDIT ENBI EurOceans MARBEF Marine
Genomics Synthesys
Executive participants
Other partners
Data networks
International infrastructures
User sectors
Industry
29Scientific networks
Partnership in the preparatory project
Contracting participants
Countries
Belgium Denmark Finland France Italy Netherlands N
orway Poland Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Swede
n United Kingdom
Executive participants
Other partners
Data networks
International infrastructures
User sectors
Industry
30e-Science and Technology Infrastructure for
biodiversity data and observatories
31Framework for an Ecosystem Observation and
Research Hierarchy
Contribution to Global Earth Observation System
of Systems (GEOSS) MEA
More intensive Process based
Representative sampling of wider countryside
Integrated assessment across scales
Extensive survey
Remote sensing of land cover
32 European Biodiversity Observation Network
(EBONE) Design of a plan for an integrated
biodiversity observing system in space and time
33Key challenge of the project
- Development of a cost effective data collection
system for biodiversity linked with extant data,
both past and present, at national, regional and
European levels. This involves - The provision of a sound scientific basis for the
production of statistical estimates of stock and
change of key indicators that can then be
interpreted by policy makers responding to EU
Directives regarding threatened ecosystems and
species - The development of a system for estimating past
change but also for forecasting and testing
policy options and designing mitigating
management strategies for threatened ecosystems
and species.
34Project objective
- To develop and implement a biodiversity
observation network that is spatially and
topically prioritized and a structure for an
institutional framework allowing European and
world wide monitoring and projections on trends
based on reliable data and indicators.
35Working objectives
- Design biodiversity observation hierarchy based
predominantly on existing capability. - Develop techniques for upscaling between site,
networks of sites, habitats and remotely sensed
data - Validate the observation hierarchy using existing
data and new data - Recommend refinements to the observation system
(sites, protocols) - Make recommendations for the implementation of
the system in Europe - Incorporate the system into existing data
management systems. - Develop and test the world wide compatibility of
the system in Mediterranean regions outside
Europe.
36GEOSS task to be fulfilled by this project
- Develop and implement a biodiversity observation
network that is spatially and topically
prioritized, based on analysis of existing
information, identifying unique or highly diverse
ecosystems and those supporting migratory,
endemic or globally threatened species, those
whose biodiversity is of socio-economic
importance, and which can support the 2010 CBD
target. - Develop a strategy for assessing biodiversity at
both the species and ecosystems level. - Facilitate the establishment of monitoring
systems that enable frequent, repeated, globally
coordinated assessment of trends and
distributions of species and ecosystems of
special conservation merit. Facilitate consensus
on data collection protocols and the coordination
of the development of interoperability among
monitoring programs.
37Framework for a Biodiversity Observation and
Research Hierarchy
Contribution to Global Earth Observation System
of Systems (GEOSS) MEA
More intensive Process based
Representative sampling of wider countryside
Integrated assessment across scales
Extensive survey
Remote sensing of land cover
38Biodiversity Observation Network
39Habitat Data link in Situ Data and EO-Data
40Spatial prioritization requires stratification
41 European Biodiversity Observation Network
(EBONE) Design of a plan for an integrated
biodiversity observing system in space and time
42Participating Organisations
- Alterra Wageningen UR The Netherlands
(coordinator) - NERC-CEH, UK
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ,
Germany - EC-JRC Italy
- Umweltbundesamt (UBA), Austria
- University of Bucharest, Romania
- CEMAGREF France
- INBO, Belgium
- University of Edinburgh, UK
- Israel National Parks Administration, Israel
- NINA, Norway
- ILE SAS, Slovakia
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia
- Universidad Politecnica Madrid, Spain
- University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
- SLU Sweden
43ALTER-Net A Long-Term Biodiversity, Ecosystem and
Awareness Research Network
- ALTER-Net and long-term monitoring
- ALTER-Net is developing a pan-European network of
long-term ecosystem research and monitoring
(LTER) sites. It is doing this by defining
criteria for LTER sites, developing a framework
for a site network and addressing data sharing
and access issues. Development of and cooperation
between national LTER networks is essential, so
ALTER-Net is supporting the wider LTER-Europe
initiative. - LTER-Europe is part of the International
Long-term Ecological Research Network (ILTER)
with 35 other countries around the globe. ILTER
consists of a network of scientists engaged in
long-term, site-based ecological and
socio-economic research with the aim of improving
understanding of global ecosystems and informing
solutions to current and future environmental
problems. - From LTER to LTSER
- Through interdisciplinary cooperation, ALTER-Net
is developing the concept of long-term
socio-ecological research and monitoring sites,
or Multi-Functional Research Platforms. These are
larger areas where environmental research and
monitoring can be combined with socio-economic
research. Ten pilot sites have been identified,
and are being used in case study work. - Building capacity
- Like all EC Networks of Excellence, ALTER-Net is
aiming to better integrate institutional
capabilities. To achieve this, ALTER-Net is
addressing key issues such as exchange of
personnel, sharing of infrastructure, joint
training programmes, a common research agenda and
partnership agreements. In effect, we are moving
towards the concept of a single quasi institute
for European biodiversity research many
partners, working as one. - Communication and knowledge transfer
- ALTER-Net is developing a framework and the tools
for an integrated communication/knowledge
transfer system. The aim is to find better ways
to communicate with the public via the press and
media, through Europes science visitor centres
and via the web with policymakers, via an
effective science-policy interface and with
fellow researchers, through the web and online
information exchange. ALTER-Net has established
the International Press Centre for Biodiversity
Research (IPCB), a portal for biodiversity-related
news and press releases. - www.biodiversityresearch.net
Wildlife and biodiversity are disappearing before
our very eyes ... but why? .. and what are the
effects on the ecosystem services they provide
and how can we manage them?
- BIODIVERSITY plays a vital role in maintaining
healthy, sustainable ecosystems, and provides
many goods and services like clean air and
water essential for our survival. - European biodiversity research capacity is rich
and varied, with many world-renowned
organisations and individuals. - However, our ability to respond to the threats
facing biodiversity and the services it provides
is hampered because the science base is dispersed
and disconnected. - ALTER-Net aims to develop durable integration of
biodiversity research capacity in Europe. - ALTER-Net will
Impacts on ecosystem services
How can we better detect, predict and manage
impacts on ecosystem services and natural
resources?
- ALTER-Net has 24 partners in 17 countries.
- Austria UBA - Belgium INBO - Czech
Republic HBI-CAS - Denmark NERI - Finland
SYKE - - France CNRS-CAREN CEMAGREF - Germany UFZ
FERC-UNIGOE PIK - Hungary IEB-HAS - Italy
CONECOFOR - The Netherlands ECNC Alterra MNP
- Norway NINA - Poland ICE-PAS - Romania
UNIBUC - - Slovakia ILE-SAS - Spain CSIC - Sweden SLU
- United Kingdom CEH-NERC Macaulay At Bristol
EU Framework VI Network of Excellence Project no.
GOCE-CT-2003-505298 Contact Terry Parr
(twp_at_ceh.ac.uk)
44ILTER and Ecosystem and BiodiversityResearch
Long-term ambitions
- To provide a global infrastructure for process
based research, observations, and training
relevant to global change and sustainable
development issues.
A key component of national, regional and global
programmes (GEOSS)
Relevant global scale research outcomes and
products
45Some priority research questions based on
national responses Synthesis from ILTER, Mexico
Nov 2005
- What are the effects of key pressures and their
interactions on biodiversity? - Climate change, air pollution (N,S), land use
change (including GM crops), grazing - Relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem
services - Biodiversity assessment and indicators
- Surrogates for biodiversity assessment
- Use of functional groups
- Measures of critical natural capital
- Critical thresholds
- The point at which loss of biodiversity affects
ecosystem services - Have we already gone beyond that point?
46- Long-term Ecosystem Research Sites (LTER)
- Measure biodiversity, pressures and ecosystem
services. - Are we losing biodiversity? Why? And so what?