Long Term Ecological Research Network Explained

Long Term Ecological Research Network
Size:	250px
Abbreviation:	LTER
Purpose:	Ecological research
Headquarters:	Santa Barbara, California
Region Served:	United States

The Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network consists of a group of over 1800 scientists and students studying ecological processes over extended temporal and spatial scales. Twenty-eight LTER sites cover a diverse set of ecosystems. It is part of the International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER).^[1] The LTER Program was established in 1980 and is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.^[2] Data from LTER sites is publicly available in the Environmental Data Initiative repository and findable through DataONE search.

LTER sites

There are 28 sites within the LTER Network across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Antarctica, each conducting research on different ecosystems.^[3] LTER sites are both physical places and communities of researchers. Some of the physical places are remote or protected from development, others are deliberately located in cities or agricultural areas. Either way, the program of research for each LTER is tailored to the most pressing and promising questions for that location and the program of research determines the group of researchers with the skills and interests to pursue those questions.^[4]

While each LTER site has a unique situation—with different organizational partners and different scientific challenges—the members of the Network apply several common approaches to understanding long-term ecological phenomena. These include observation, large-scale experiments, modeling, synthesis science and partnerships.^[5]

• Andrews Forest LTER (AND)^[6]
• Arctic LTER (ARC)^[7]
• Baltimore Ecosystem Study LTER (BES)^[8]
• Beaufort Lagoon Ecosystem LTER (BLE)^[9]
• Bonanza Creek LTER (BNZ)^[10]
• Central Arizona - Phoenix LTER (CAP)^[11]
• California Current Ecosystem LTER (CCE)^[12]
• Cedar Creek LTER (CDR)^[13]
• Coweeta LTER (CWT)^[14] - NSF LTER funding from 1980-2020
• Florida Coastal Everglades LTER (FCE)^[15]
• Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER (GCE)^[16]
• Harvard Forest LTER (HFR)^[17]
• Hubbard Brook LTER (HBR)^[18]
• Jornada Basin LTER (JRN)^[19]
• Kellogg Biological Station LTER (KBS)^[20]
• Konza Prairie LTER (KNZ)^[21]
• Luquillo LTER (LUQ)^[22]
• McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER (MCM)^[23]
• Minneapolis-St. Paul LTER (MSP)
• Moorea Coral Reef LTER (MCR)^[24]
• Niwot Ridge LTER (NWT)^[25]
• North Temperate Lakes LTER (NTL)^[26]
• Northeast U.S. Shelf LTER (NES)^[27]
• Northern Gulf of Alaska LTER (NGA)^[28]
• Palmer LTER (PAL)^[29]
• Plum Island Ecosystem LTER (PIE)^[30]
• Santa Barbara Coastal LTER (SBC)^[31]
• Sevilleta LTER (SEV)^[32]
• Shortgrass Steppe LTER (SGS) - funded from 1982-2014 at the Central Plains Experimental Range^[33]
• Virginia Coast Reserve LTER (VCR)^[34]

See also

• National Ecological Observatory Network
• Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network

External links

• ILTER Network https://www.ilter.network/
• LTER Network
• European Long-Term Ecosystem Research Network
• Austrian Long-Term Ecosystem Research Network

Notes and References

1. Web site: Home Page ILTER. www.ilter.network. en. 2018-01-26.
2. Web site: LTER About the LTER Network . 21 October 2020.
3. Web site: US Long Term Ecological Research Network - Sites . US Long Term Ecological Research Network. 16 April 2018.
4. Web site: US Long Term Ecological Research Network - How We Work . US Long Term Ecological Research Network. 16 April 2018.
5. Web site: US Long Term Ecological Research Network - How We Work . US Long Term Ecological Research Network. 16 April 2018.
6. Web site: Andrews Experimental Forest LTER: Andrews Experimental Forest. Andrews Experimental Forest LTER. 11 April 2012.
7. Web site: Arctic Long Term Ecological Research Site. 11 April 2012.
8. Web site: Baltimore Ecosystem Study. 16 April 2018.
9. Web site: Beaufort Lagoon Ecosystem LTER. 11 April 2012.
10. Web site: Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research . 11 April 2012.
11. Web site: Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research. Arizona State University Global Institute of Sustainability. 11 April 2012.
12. Web site: California Current Ecosystem LTER. 11 April 2012.
13. Web site: Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. University of Minnesota. 11 April 2012.
14. Web site: Coweeta Long Term Ecological Research. 11 April 2012.
15. Web site: Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research. 11 April 2012.
16. Web site: Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER. 11 April 2012.
17. Web site: Harvard Forest. 11 April 2012.
18. Web site: Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study. 11 April 2012.
19. Web site: Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research. 11 April 2012.
20. Web site: KBS LTER Site. Michigan State University. 11 April 2012.
21. Web site: Konza Prairie Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER). 16 April 2018.
22. Web site: Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program. 11 April 2012.
23. Web site: McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research (LTER). 11 April 2012.
24. Web site: Moorea Coral Reef LTER. 11 April 2012.
25. Web site: Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research Site. 16 April 2018.
26. Web site: North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research. 11 April 2012.
27. Web site: Northeast U.S. Shelf LTER. 16 April 2018.
28. Web site: Northern Gulf of Alaska LTER(NGA). 16 April 2018.
29. Web site: Palmer Station, Antarctica Long Term Ecological Research. 11 April 2012.
30. Web site: Plum Island Ecosystem LTER. 11 April 2012.
31. Web site: Santa Barbara Coastal LTER. 11 April 2012.
32. Web site: Sevilleta LTER. 11 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120301053355/http://sev.lternet.edu/. 1 March 2012. dead.
33. Web site: Central Plains Experimental Range. United States Department of Agriculture. 2 September 2018.
34. Web site: Virginia Coast Reserve LTER. 11 April 2012.