LTER: Comparative Studies of a Suite of Lakes in Wisconsin

北温带湖泊的长期生态研究是对威斯康星州北部七个湖泊及其周围景观的综合研究。该研究旨在回答比典型的生态研究跨越更长时间和更广泛空间尺度的研究问题。因此，这对于分析全球变化和对特定地点的知识进行区域化尤其重要。研究领域包括：1)对长期趋势的感知；2)物理、化学和生物过程之间的相互作用；3)对干扰和压力的时间响应；4)空间异质性和时间变异性之间的关系；5)将结果推广到景观尺度。目前有一个全面的数据收集和管理系统来处理这些领域，并向更广泛的科学界提供数据。分析了气候、水文和陆地对湖泊的强迫作用，以及决定生物地球化学循环、生产和物种丰度动态的内部过程。被评估的干扰/压力包括物种入侵、气候变暖和酸性降水。研究了空间异质性和尺度对湖泊系统时空变化和感知的影响。区域水文和水质的空间显式模型正在实施。在LTER网络内外，对湖泊与其他生态系统类型的动态进行了比较。

Long-Term Ecological Research on north temperate lakes is a comprehensive study of seven lakes and the surrounding landscape in northern Wisconsin. The study is designed to answer research questions spanning longer time and broader space scales than typical of ecological research. Thus, it is especially relevant to analyzing global change and regionalizing site specific knowledge. There are five interrelated research areas: 1) perception of long-term trends, 2) interactions among physical, chemical, and biological processes, 3) temporal responses to disturbance and stress, 4) relation between spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability, and 5) generalization of results to a landscape scale. A comprehensive data collection and management system is in place to address these areas and make data available to the broader scientific community. Climatic, hydrologic, and terrestrial forcing on lakes is analyzed along with internal processes determining the dynamics of biogeochemical cycling, production, and species abundances. Disturbances/stresses being evaluated include species invasions, climate warming, and acidic precipitation. Spatial heterogeneity and scale are studied as influences on temporal variation in, and perceptions of, lake systems. Spatially explicit models of regional hydrology and water quality are being implemented. Dynamics of lakes are compared with other ecosystems types, inside and outside the LTER network.