LTER Planning Process Science Task Force (STF) Report to NSF September 2005

OVERARCHING QUESTION How do changes in human population density and behavior interact with climate variation, altered biogeochemical cycles, and biotic structure to affect ecosystem structure and function?

OVERARCHING QUESTION How do changes in human population density and behavior interact with climate variation, altered biogeochemical cycles, and biotic structure to affect ecosystem structure and function? –Changes in human population density –Redistribution of population nationally and locally –Increased availability and distribution of limiting resources –Altered biotic composition and structure –Increased variability in environmental drivers (e.g. climate, sea level rise)

 Human activities tend to be associated with changes in key resources and drivers (e.g., CO 2, nitrogen, H 2 O, sea level rise).  These changes can be classified as either pulses (discrete events) and presses (continuous). Central Premise

 Human activities tend to be associated with changes in key resources and drivers (e.g., CO 2, nitrogen, H 2 O, sea level rise).  These changes can be classified as either pulses (discrete events) and presses (continuous).  Individual species have evolved adaptations to capture and use resources and to respond to various environmental drivers.  Thus, changes in resource availability or environmental drivers are likely to have significant consequences for species interactions, community structure and ecosystem functioning. Central Premise

 Human activities tend to be associated with changes in key resources and drivers (e.g., CO 2, nitrogen, H 2 O, sea level rise).  These changes can be classified as either pulses (discrete events) and presses (continuous).  Individual species have evolved adaptations to capture and use resources and to respond to various environmental drivers.  Thus, changes in resource availability or environmental drivers are likely to have significant consequences for species interactions, community structure and ecosystem functioning.  Human social systems are also spatially and temporally dynamic, and also respond to [and cause] pulse and press events.  Social system drivers and dynamics (tax laws, regulations, preferences, behaviors) directly affect ecological processes.  Ecological processes have feedbacks that affect human social systems. Central Premise

Establish a framework for an integrated long-term multi-site research program based on (anthropogenic) pulse-press interactions in ecosystems. Press factor – variable or driver that is applied continuously at rates ranging from low to high (e.g., atmospheric nitrogen deposition, elevated CO2). Includes changes in rates (increases, decreases) relative to some historical baseline. Pulse factor – variable or driver that is applied once or at periodic intervals (e.g., fire, extreme climatic events). Includes changes in the size, magnitud,e and frequency at which pulses occur. Concept from Bender et al Perturbation experiments in community ecology: Theory and practice. Ecology 65(1):1-13. Approach

Ecosystem functioning 1  / 2  production, decomposition, nutrient cycling Biotic structure rank-dominance curves, life-history traits Human behavior (society, policy, economics) How do press & pulse disturbances interact to alter structure & the functioning of different ecosystems?Q1 Q2 How is biotic structure both a cause and consequence of ecological fluxes of energy & matter? Ecosystem services food, pest/disease control, erosion control, soil fertility How do changes in vital ecosystem services feed back to alter human behavior?Q3 Long-term “press” e.g., N deposition, species invasions, temperature Short-term “pulse” e.g., fire, storms

Current Status of LTER Planning Grant Nov 2004: Meeting of 100 – Cape Canaveral Specific sets of ecological research questions and theoretical, experimental designs that can best be addressed by the LTER Network within the four conceptual domains: (1) alterations in biodiversity, (2) altered biogeochemical cycles, (3) ecological effects of climate change and climate variability, and (4) coupled human-natural systems. - output to STF (Special Task Force) Nov 2005: How could BNZ contribute to network-wide research activities for the new LTER funding initiative? Response to Network Office Jan 2006: Solicitation of proposals for workshops at the 2006 ASM in Estes Park (September ) – serve as a starting point for inter-site working groups addressing key questions of the planning grant 2006 LTER All Scientists Meeting:

We have two writing groups, one that is writing the framework sections for a proposal, the other a concept document for a funding initiative that will encourage NSF to seek a bunch of money to support broad based research focusing on aspects of coupled human natural systems. Second, all sites will need to resurrect their committees that developed site based research plans that were fed into the planning committee for last November. Each site will need to designate one contact person for that process and the site contact people will start to do the details of their site work and also meet to make sure cross site and collaborations happen. That group may meet independently sometime this summer We will have at least one full day or workshops on planning at the ASM.