Cross-Site: The Effects of Indigenous Small Mammals On the Species Composition and Structure of Chihuahuan Desert Communities: A LTER Cross-Site Research Project

他们建议将现有的LTER研究项目扩展到墨西哥的一个地点。他们将研究本土小型哺乳动物作为关键物种的作用，决定奇瓦瓦沙漠草原和灌木丛生态系统的植物物种多样性和植被结构。Sevilleta LTER遗址位于奇瓦瓦沙漠/大平原草原的北部生物群过渡地带，而Jornada LTER遗址位于奇瓦瓦沙漠中北部。他们提议在奇瓦瓦沙漠中南部增加一个新的研究地点--马皮米生物圈保护区(联合国人与生物圈计划)。这一跨地点研究项目将包括大学科学家和来自美国内政部、鱼类和野生动物服务部(塞维莱塔国家野生动物保护区)、美国农业部、农业研究服务局(Jornada实验场)和墨西哥科学家(生态研究所、马皮米生物圈保护区)的科学家。以往的研究表明，本土小型哺乳动物是奇瓦瓦沙漠生态系统的关键物种。其他研究表明，由于人类干扰，许多奇瓦瓦沙漠生态系统已经沙化，沙化景观的持续可能仅是植物资源利用和土壤物理过程的结果。他们将通过实验确定小型哺乳动物如何影响奇瓦瓦沙漠生态系统，以及小型哺乳动物如何受到当地和整个奇瓦瓦沙漠地区短期和长期气候变化的影响。他们还将整合跨站点数据管理网络，以集中和协调拟议研究项目的数据管理活动。这一数据管理网络将包括在墨西哥偏远的Mapimi研究站点增加一条实时卫星通信链路，将该站点与现有的LTER网络连接起来。各自的美国LTER站点和墨西哥生态研究所将继续这项研究的长期运作，超过本申请奖励的三年。

They propose to expand an existing LTER research project to a site in Mexico. They will examine the roles of indigenous small mammals as keystone species determining plant species diversity and vegetation structure across the Chihuahuan Desert grassland and shrubland ecosystem. The Sevilleta LTER site is located at the northern biome transition of the Chihuahuan Desert/Great Plains grasslands, while the Jornada LTER site is in the north-central Chihuahuan Desert. They propose to add a new research site, the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve (United Nations Man and Biosphere Program), located in the south-central Chihuahuan Desert. This crmss-site research project will involve university scientists with scientists from the US Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge), the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (Jornada Experimental Range), and Mexican scientists (Institute of Ecology, Mapimi Biosphere Reserve). Previous research demonstrates that indigenous small mammals are keystone species in Chihuahuan Desert ecosys tems. Other research demonstrates that many Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems have become desertified as a result of human disturbance, and the persistence of desertified landscapes may result from plant resource use and physical soil processes alone. They will experimentally determine how small mammals affect Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems, and how small mammal influences are affected by short-term and long-term climate change both locally, and regionally across the Chihuahuan Desert. They will also integrate cross-site data management network to centralize and coordinate data management activities for the proposed research project. This data management network will include the addition of a real-time satellite communications link at the remote Mapimi research site in Mexico, to link that site to the existing LTER Network. The respective US LTER sites, and Institute of Ecology in Mexico will continue the Long-Term operation of this study beyond the three years of this requested award.