Multi-scale Integration Introduction to the Panel - Michael Hamilton Multi-Scale Sampling - Greg Pottie Scaling Challenges in Ecology - Michael Hamilton Microclimate and Ecophysiology Sensing - Eric Graham Microbial and Root Ecology - Michael Allen NIMS Multi-Scale Experiments - William Kaiser
Scaling Challenges in Ecology Center for Embedded Network Sensing (CENS) Habitat Sensing Applications Group Michael Hamilton University of California James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve
Distributed Environmental Sensing "Nothing tends so much to the advancement of knowledge as the application of a new instrument.” –Sir Humphry Davy, early exponent of the scientific method, scientist, inventor. Developments in sensor array technologies are providing significant new tools for understanding fundamental ecosystem processes
Implementing CENS technology in ecological and ecosystem research Long-term ecological research: monitoring ecosystem processes Global change studies: carbon cycles and biogeochemical fluxes; forest structure; coastal food web structure Ecophysiological research: modeling physiological processes and their control by microclimate Organismal ecology: phenology; acoustical and video monitoring of animal behavior and activities; marine phytoplankton dynamics Environmental education
Cyber-informatics and ecology: scaling issues are fundamental
Detecting global change at multiple spatial and temporal scales Large networked arrays of environmental sensors can provide early warnings of subtle environmental changes
Understanding the spatial and temporal patterns in the dynamics of terrestrial carbon cycles Low spatial and temporal density of eddy covariance measurements limit our understanding of canopy-level CO 2 fluxes CENS technologies will contribute to many national and international programs investigating environmental gas fluxes
Understanding how microclimate controls ecophysiological processes Microclimate parameters are fundamental elements of ecophysiological models Microclimate
Understanding dynamic forest light environments Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of sun flecks in forest understories control fundamental regeneration and soil processes The dynamic pattern and significance of spatial heterogeneity in understory light remains practically unexplored
Understanding soil processes and related components of biotic activity Nutrient pulse Soil sensor arrays linked to above-ground sensor networks – Soil sensors that withstand physically and chemically harsh conditions – Sensors capable of recognizing phases in air/water/soil mixtures. – Microsensors that can monitor nutrient pulses – Microsensors to monitor soil CO 2 fluxes Sensor networks to monitor CO 2 flux
Linking Terrain Analysis to Sensor Networks 30m Digital Elevation ModelSlope/ Aspect ModelsFlow Direction Model Soil Moisture Model
The evolving role of the James Reserve and CENS: Field Laboratory for Experiments, Test Beds, and Deployments Overlapping Platforms –NIMS, CMS, ESS, AMARSS Diversity of Networking approaches and deployed systems Data Management and Visualization –Web-based GUI –GIS Building towards a multi-scale experiments laboratory
Future (near) Directions:National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)
NEON Themes Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function Hydroecology Biogeochemical CyclesInfectious Diseases Climate ChangeInvasive Species Emerging IssuesLand Use
Regional NEON Planning Regions
CENS collaborations with other environmental research groups: ongoing and future NEON Planning NSF - CLEANER, ITR, Biocomplexity: IDEA Wind River Canopy Crane Research Facility Sevilleta Long-term Ecological Research Stn. OTS - La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica UCB Gump Research Station, Moorea Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation LA County Sanitation District US Geological Survey Potential future collaborations: additional LTER sites Ameriflux and Fluxnet sites UC NRS and OBFS stations Global Ocean Observing System Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms