Jornada Basin LTER V: Landscape Linkages in Arid and Semiarid Ecosystems

奇瓦瓦沙漠景观体现了全球干旱和半干旱地区的生态条件、脆弱性和管理问题。1982年建立的Jornada盆地长期生态研究项目（JRN）的目标是了解和量化这些系统中荒漠化的原因和后果。在与研究伙伴——加拿大试验场（USDA ARS）的合作下，1915年开始的研究成果已被纳入该计划。在过去的6年中，JRN扩展了其植物-空间资源再分配框架，在其景观联系框架中纳入了多个时空尺度。在ltv中，JRN将详细阐述这一框架：(1)使用现有的长期研究测试特定元素，(2)在Jornada和附近的郊区界面进行一套新的综合跨尺度实验，(3)继续进行跨站点和区域研究，旨在测试其一般性，以及(4)在不断变化的环境下预测未来的景观选择，包括社会经济过程和与生态系统的明确相互作用。总体假设是，生态系统动态的时空变化是斑块结构与运输载体（风、水、动物）和环境驱动因素（如降水、温度、人类活动）相互作用影响跨尺度资源再分配的结果。这些相互作用反馈给斑块结构和动态，导致对生态系统产品和服务产生影响的级联事件。历史遗产和地貌模板是这种关系的重要修饰因素。JRN提议围绕奇瓦瓦沙漠的三个主要地貌单元组织研究，并包含现有的长期研究和传感器网络。长期研究将与新的机制和过程水平实验相结合，旨在确定主导过程和驱动因素，重点关注斑块结构。仿真建模将用于综合和整合数据，以了解当前模式和预测未来动态。基于生态系统千年评估的新的社会经济研究和情景将把JRN研究置于更广泛的社会经济生态背景下。JRN的研究为大量的研究生和本科生提供了机会，主要来自新墨西哥州立大学，这是一个为西班牙裔服务的机构。国际科学合作包括与四大洲（北美和南美、亚洲和欧洲）的研究和学术机构达成合作协议。JRN的研究支持了一个非常成功的K-12和教师培训计划：超过50,000名学生，教师和其他成年人参与了第四期的教育推广计划。这些持续的计划包括实地考察，校园活动，教师研讨会和公共教育活动。拟议的研究包括通过讲习班、研讨会和LTER科学家在各个董事会的服务与资源管理从业者进行有针对性的互动。半年度通讯可在网上获得，并分发给300多人。

Chihuahuan Desert landscapes exemplify the ecological conditions, vulnerability, and management issues found in arid and semi-arid regions around the world. The goal of the Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research program (JRN) , established in 1982, is to understand and quantify the causes and consequences of desertification in these systems. In collaboration with its research partner, the Jornada Experimental Range (USDA ARS), results of studies begun in 1915 have been incorporated into the program. In the past 6 years, JRN expanded its plant-interspace resource redistribution framework to include multiple spatial and temporal scales in its landscape linkages framework. In LTER V, JRN will elaborate on this framework by: (1) testing specific elements using existing long-term studies, (2) conducting a suite of new integrated, cross-scale experiments, both at the Jornada and in a nearby suburban interface, (3) continuing cross-site and regional studies designed to test its generality, and (4) forecasting alternative future landscapes under a changing environment that includes socioeconomic processes and explicit interactions with the ecological system. The overall hypothesis is that spatial and temporal variation in ecosystem dynamics is the result of patch structure interacting with transport vectors (wind, water, animals) and environmental drivers (e.g., precipitation, temperature, human activities) to influence cross-scale resource redistribution. These interactions feed back to patch structure and dynamics to cause cascading events with effects on ecosystem goods and services. Historic legacies and geomorphic templates are important modifiers of this relationship. JRN proposes to organize research around three major geomorphic units that characterize the Chihuahuan Desert and contain existing long-term studies and a sensor network. Long-term studies will be combined with new mechanistic and process-level experiments designed to identify dominant processes and drivers, with a focus on patch structure. Simulation modeling will be used to synthesize and integrate data in order to understand current patterns and predict future dynamics. New socio-economic studies and scenarios based on the Ecosystem Millennium Assessment will place JRN research into a broader socio-economic-ecologic context. JRN research provides opportunities for a large number of graduate and undergraduate students, primarily from New Mexico State University, an Hispanic-serving institution. International scientific collaborations include cooperative agreements with research and academic institutions on four continents (North and South America, Asia, Europe). JRN research supports a highly successful K-12 and teacher training program: over 50,000 students, teachers, and other adults were involved in educational outreach programs during LTER IV. These continuing programs include field trips, schoolyard activities, teacher workshops, and public education events. The proposed research includes targeted interactions with resource management practitioners through workshops, seminars, and service by LTER scientists on various boards of directors. A semi-annual newsletter is available online and is distributed to over 300 people.