Terry Parr

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Terry Parr twp_at_ceh.ac.uk
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The International Long-term Ecological Research
Network (ILTER)
www.ilternet.edu
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5 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?
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LTER 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
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Global Networking of Ecosystem research sites
LTER Sites
National Networks
Regional Networks
local
Global ILTER www.ilternet.edu
global
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Some 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

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ILTER The Future For Global Ecosystem Research ?
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• 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

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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
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Activities 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

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What 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
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• 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?

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Activities and Progress

• Data and information Sub-Committee
• Workshop
• Meta-data for interoperability reconciliation
  of EML and ontology-based systems
• China April 7-11 2008

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Activities 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?

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ALTER-Net A long-term biodiversity, ecosystem
and awareness research network
Integration of research
Integration of facilities
Networking European global
24 organisations 17 European countries
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Networking 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
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e-Science and Technology Infrastructure for
biodiversity data and observatories
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Aims 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

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The LIFE WATCH infrastructure
Ecosystem data
Species-level data

Genomics data
data
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The LIFE WATCH infrastructure
Applications
Analytical and Modeling tools
Data access interoperability

Observatories and data providers
functions
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The LIFE WATCH infrastructure
Applications
Ecosystem data
Analytical and Modeling tools
Species-level data
Data access interoperability

Observatories and data providers
Genomics data
data
functions
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Life Watch infrastructure
data

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Data 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

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Outline 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
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The 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
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Scientific networks
Partnership in the preparatory project
Contracting participants
Countries
Executive participants
Other partners
Data networks
International infrastructures

User sectors
Industry
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Scientific 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
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Scientific 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
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e-Science and Technology Infrastructure for
biodiversity data and observatories
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Framework 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
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European Biodiversity Observation Network
(EBONE) Design of a plan for an integrated
biodiversity observing system in space and time
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Key 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.

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Project 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.

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Working 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.

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GEOSS 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.

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Framework 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
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Biodiversity Observation Network
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Habitat Data link in Situ Data and EO-Data
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Spatial prioritization requires stratification
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European Biodiversity Observation Network
(EBONE) Design of a plan for an integrated
biodiversity observing system in space and time
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Participating 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

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ALTER-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)
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ILTER 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
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Some 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?

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• Long-term Ecosystem Research Sites (LTER)
• Measure biodiversity, pressures and ecosystem
  services.
• Are we losing biodiversity? Why? And so what?