The Arctic LTER Project: Regional Variation in Ecosystem Processes and Landscape Linkages

北极 LTER 项目：生态系统过程和景观联系的区域变化

• 批准号: 0423385
• 负责人: John Hobbie
• 金额: $ 492万
• 依托单位: Marine Biological Laboratory
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-12-01 至 2011-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0423385&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Arctic; LTER; Project; Regional; Variation

This is the fourth stage of the Arctic LTER (ARC) located at the Toolik Lake Field Station, Alaska, where the ecology of tundra, streams, and lakes is studied to understand controls on ecosystem structure and function within the long-term goal of predicting the effects of environmental change. Research has been ongoing at the station since the 1970s, with the LTER project focusing on the biogeochemical components of a series of connected streams and lakes that collectively flow into and affect Toolik Lake, as well as the adjacent headwaters region of the Kuparuk River. Extensive variability exists among the various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the study area, but all are linked via water and materials transport. The goal for this next phase of ARC is to understand changes in the Arctic system at catchment and landscape scales through enhanced knowledge of these linkages and interactions. Research will identify and quantify intra- and inter-system linkages, determine controls of the linkages and how they will be affected by a changing environment, and predict how the entire landscape will respond to environmental change. A suite of biogeochemical studies will target the interactions among the component terrestrial, stream, lake ecosystems within this landscape. Short-term studies will focus on specific materials to better understand inputs, climate drivers and transformations of materials. Long-term studies will investigate effects of changes in species composition, temperature, light and nutrients on four types of tundra and the effects of nutrient loading and climate variability. Lake studies will focus on landscape-to-lake linkages to understand controls of terrestrial patchiness on productivity patterns in lakes. Researchers will also examine in-lake processes and their relations to watershed inputs of nutrients and dissolved organic matter. Objectives are to measure pelagic and benthic production and coupling, illucidate food web structures, and determine how watershed-stream-lake linkages regulate transformations in water chemistry and patterns of productivity. Broader Impacts center around the use of ARC research results to address the important societal goal of predicting responses of Arctic ecosystems to environmental change. Data and insights will be provided to Federal and State officials regulating the development of oil and gas on the Alaskan North Slope. A collaborative undergraduate/graduate course will be held for two weeks in the summers, with undergraduate students trained in the field along with graduate students from ten universities. The MBL's Science Journalism Course facilitates journalist visits to Toolik Lake. The ARC LTER Schoolyard project involves a majority of Native Alaskan students. K-12 students conduct and observe local field experiments similar to those at Toolik Lake. Finally, participating ARC scientists actively engage students, residents and local community officials in the region by presenting volunteer lectures on science topics.

这是北极LTER （ARC）的第四阶段，位于阿拉斯加的图里克湖野外站，在那里研究冻土带，溪流和湖泊的生态，以了解在预测环境变化影响的长期目标内对生态系统结构和功能的控制。自20世纪70年代以来，该站一直在进行研究，LTER项目的重点是一系列相互连接的溪流和湖泊的生物地球化学成分，这些溪流和湖泊共同流入并影响Toolik湖，以及邻近的Kuparuk河的源头区域。研究区各种陆地和水生生态系统之间存在着广泛的变异性，但都是通过水和物质的运输联系在一起的。ARC下一阶段的目标是通过加强对这些联系和相互作用的了解，在流域和景观尺度上了解北极系统的变化。研究将确定和量化系统内和系统间的联系，确定对这些联系的控制以及它们将如何受到不断变化的环境的影响，并预测整个景观将如何对环境变化作出反应。一套生物地球化学研究将针对陆地、河流、湖泊生态系统在这一景观中的相互作用。短期研究将侧重于特定材料，以更好地了解材料的投入、气候驱动因素和转化。长期研究将调查物种组成、温度、光照和养分变化对四种类型冻土带的影响，以及养分负荷和气候变率的影响。湖泊研究将侧重于景观与湖泊的联系，以了解陆地斑块对湖泊生产力模式的控制。研究人员还将研究湖内过程及其与流域营养物和溶解有机物输入的关系。目的是测量上层和底栖生物的生产和耦合，阐明食物网结构，并确定流域-溪流-湖泊联系如何调节水化学和生产力模式的转变。更广泛的影响围绕着利用ARC的研究成果来解决预测北极生态系统对环境变化的响应这一重要的社会目标。数据和见解将提供给管理阿拉斯加北坡石油和天然气开发的联邦和州官员。本科生/研究生合作课程将在夏季举办两周，本科生和来自10所大学的研究生将在该领域接受培训。MBL的科学新闻学课程为记者访问图里克湖提供了便利。ARC LTER校园项目涉及大多数阿拉斯加原住民学生。K-12学生进行和观察当地的实地实验，类似于在图里克湖进行的实验。最后，参与ARC的科学家通过提供有关科学主题的志愿讲座，积极吸引该地区的学生、居民和当地社区官员。