LTER: Comparative Studies of a Suite of Lakes in Wisconsin

北温带湖泊长期生态研究是对威斯康星州北部的七个湖泊及其周围景观的综合研究。与典型的生态学研究相比，这项研究旨在回答跨越更长时间和更广泛空间范围的研究问题。因此，它对于分析全球变化和对特定地点的知识进行区域化尤为重要。有五个相互关联的研究领域：1)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)对干扰和胁迫的时间响应，4)空间异质性和时间变异性之间的关系，5)结果在景观尺度上的推广。已经建立了一个全面的数据收集和管理系统，以解决这些领域的问题，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，以及决定生物地球化学循环、生产和物种丰度的动态的内部过程。正在评估的干扰/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的时间变化和感知的影响。正在实施区域水文和水质的空间显式模型。将湖泊的动态与LTER网络内外的其他生态系统类型进行了比较。

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.