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LTER-D (Germany) Status and Statutes ( Program)
H. Schubert, University of Rostock, Biosciences
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LTER-D, starting point
For a long time now, extensive long-term data
about the development of the environment have
been recorded at many sites in Germany. However,
this very important work has been subjected to
some limitations
The concepts used for measuring are usually
based on disciplinary or sectoral formulations of
the questions.
System-oriented, environmental observations
only exist in very few exceptional areas.
The investigation locations were chosen for
either historical reasons or because of the
specific formulations of the studys objective.
There is little or no interaction between the
individual observational networks very few
locations are used by more than one such network.
A joint evaluation and integration of the
recorded data has neither been strived for nor
(hardly) carried out.
Ecological and socio-economical data are only
mutually recorded and processed in few cases, and
usually on a large scale (nationwide).
There is very little communication and
cooperation between the official networks and the
potentially interested research facilities.
There is no central place for keeping data, the
contents of reports from the measuring networks
cannot be recorded in a meta data base. There is
no comprehensive status-quo-analysis.
The continuation of the few ecological,
system-oriented measurement programs is not
secured for a longer period of time.
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LTER-D, History
The idea to build a german LTER was initiated by
M. Bredemeyer (Göttingen) and F. Mueller (Kiel)
at an workshop on long-term ecological research
projects of Germany held at Duderstadt in spring
2004.
As a result, the participants agreed and the
preparation work started (contacting officials,
gathering potential sites, preparation of drafts
of the program statutes etc.)
During a second workshop in spring 2005
(Friedrichstadt), work on program and statute
was finalised and both unanimously decided.
Since them, contacts were installed to research
founding organisations (DFG, BMBF) as well as
organisations potentially interested in the work
of LTER-D (BfN, Europarc.)
We also got support from research instutions
(e.g. installation of a permanent Office
financed by the UFZ Halle-Leipzig in january
2006, equiped with a part-time Secretary)
So we guess that things are developing well at
the moment..
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LTER-D, requirements
Existence of a national committee or other
management structure
Policy commitment to compatibility and
accessibility in data management
Statement of collective purpose which might
include defined research or monitoring themes
Set of proposed sites or criteria for selection
of sites
Prospects for long-term stability of the program
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LTER-D, Recent Status
Existence of a national committee or other
management structure
At the moment, 12 research-focused institutions
are involved in LTER-D. Two other institutions
are involved in personam, i.e. by persons, but
not yet as an institution. Not all of them held
an own site!
Universität Göttingen, Forschungszentrum
Waldökosysteme Bundesforschungsanstalt für
Fischerei Hamburg Niedersächsische Forstliche
Versuchsanstalt Göttingen Landesamt Nationalpark
Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer
Tönning Ökologie-Zentrum der Universität
Kiel Leibniz-Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung
e. V. (ZALF) Müncheberg Universität Rostock,
Aquatische Ökologie Umweltforschungszentrum
Leipzig-Halle GmbH GSF-Forschungszentrum für
Umwelt und Gesundheit Neuherberg Institut für
Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz der Universität
Hannover Nationalparkverwaltung Bayerischer Wald
Lehrstuhl Ökosysteme und Umweltinformatik der
BTU Cottbus In personam (Institute for Coastal
Research, GKSS Research Centre) (Alfred-Wegener-In
stitute, Wadden Sea Station Sylt)
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LTER-D, Recent Status
Existence of a national committee or other
management structure
LTER-D itself is represented by a 3-person
steering committe, consiting of secretary,
president and vice president.
They are elected on the annual conferences
organized by the vice-president which becomes the
president after the meeting in order to ensure
continuity
The secretary can stay in ist position as long as
he becomes re-elected, he also organizes the
office duties and will be a permanent contact
person for both, internal and external affairs
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LTER-D, objectives
Statement of collective purpose which might
include defined research or monitoring themes
.The prime objective of LTER-D is to
investigate complex, long-term ecological
processes in regard to global change, the
development of early warning systems, the
acquisition of a scientific basis for strategic
conservation management, and the sustained use of
ecosystems.
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LTER-D, objectives, cont.
1. Fostering and improving the scientific
knowledge of long-term ecological processes
beyond ecological systems, regional and national
boundaries
2. Fostering comparative analyses and syntheses
beyond the boundaries of single testing and
investigation areas,
3. Fostering cooperation between scientific and
socio-economic disciplines,
4. Fostering, developing and securing the
integration of long-term environmental
observations and long-range environmental studies
for ecological research,
5. Organizing data storage and data exchange as a
precondition for a successful cooperation and to
assure longevity,
6. Fostering education and exchange of
information, as well as cooperation with
environmental practitioners,
7. Fostering international cooperation in the
field of comparative, long-term ecological
research and the networking within the framework
of international and European programs (ILTER and
LTER-Europe).
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LTER-D, next steps
Prospects for long-term stability of the program
1. Set up a national scientific coordination and
contact point, 2. Organise the managing of data
and register all nationwide existing, long-term
data sets, 3. Set up a thematically and
regionally representative central network of
investigation areas and secure these in the
long-run.
In order to make proper preparations for these
plans, various smaller projects will be carried
out by the organization using its own resources
Structuring the concrete requirements demanded
by a meta data base Optimising the set of
locations for long-term investigations Requireme
nts for the regional distinction of measurement
results Historical analysis of the
investigation areas Analysis of the elements of
long-term data sets in Germany Exemplary
implementation of the analysis of long-range
studies Comparison of ecosystems in regard to
climatic changes
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LTER-D, next steps
Prospects for long-term stability of the program

• Installation of a permanent office, supported by
  a research institution
• Altogether 4 internal projects have started
  already (comparison of long term data from the
  Baltic and the North Sea, Data treatment by means
  of frequency analysis, Definition of the
  requirements of a common monitoring strategy,
  Development of a plan for sites required to cover
  german habitats not just by historical reasons
• Research founding organizations are contacted in
  order to enable finanziation of common projects
• Some monitoring sites are already mid- or
  long-term supported by governmental institutions

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LTER-D, managing data
Policy commitment to compatibility and
accessibility in data management
LTER-Ds objective of data management is to
guarantee data capture, the availability of data,
data exchange, the integration of data, and the
securing and managing of relevant data bases.
Data management consists of the following tasks
Stocktaking, updating and continuation of
existing sources of data (research
projects, monitoring programs, and individual
investigations). Securing data access and data
exchange, as well as the ability to interpret
the data in the long-run. Coordinatin
g factual data structures and meta data
structures to harmonize with
international standards. Securing the LTER-D
data base and a description of its contents over
a long period of time.
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LTER-D, preliminary list of sites
Set of proposed sites or criteria for selection
of sites
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LTER-D, Recent Status
Institutions
Sites
Aquatic Agriculture Urban Forest