Collaborative Research: EPSCoR RII Track 2 Oklahoma and Kansas: A cyberCommons for Ecological Forecasting

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EPS-0919466, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Paul Risser, linked to EPS-0919443 (University of Kansas Center for Research Inc)Collaborative Research: EPSCoR RII Track 2 Oklahoma and Kansas:A cyberCommons for Ecological ForecastingFour universities (Kansas University (KU), Oklahoma University (OU), Kansas State University (KSU), and Oklahoma State University (OSU)) in two EPSCoR states, Kansas and Oklahoma, are united to create a cyberCommons, a powerful, integrated cyber environment for knowledge discovery and education across complex environmental phenomena. The cyberCommons will integrate two frameworks?the science framework of data, models, analytics and narratives, and the cyberinfrastructure framework of hardware, software, collaboration environment and integration environment. Two scientific questions underlie the understanding and forecasting of ecological systems in the Central Plains, which are in the main focus of this project: (1) What are the impacts of changes in land-use/land-cover and climate, both natural and anthropogenic, on biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem function? In turn, what are the feedbacks among these drivers and consequences? and (2) What are the impacts of changes in land-use/land-cover and climate, both natural and anthropogenic, on biodiversity?its composition, patterns and dynamics? In turn, how do these changes in biodiversity affect the spread of plant and animal diseases and invasive species, and how do these phenomena influence ecosystem structure, function and services?Intellectual Merit. Scientists at the four universities have independently developed research expertise, web-based data portals, web applications, and models dealing with the ecological drivers and consequences. CI tools are, for the most part, advancing this research along single, independent pipelines of ecological and biotic data, models, analytics and narrative scenarios. The cyberCommons is thought to enable unified, collaborative research across these pipelines, transforming the modeling and synthesis of ecological complexity. It will build on and unite the consortium?s existing expertise and capabilities in ecological observation, data assimilation and distribution, mathematical modeling, and CI architectures. Effectively, the cyberCommons will create a new research and educational community that transcends geographic, disciplinary and institutional boundaries in promoting peer-to-peer collaboration and new pedagogy. Broader Impacts. The cyberCommons is proposed to build upon strengths in the two states in the ecological, biodiversity and CI sciences. The researchers plan to enhance these strengths and research competitiveness through a new CI/science framework by enabling cross-domain investigation of complex environmental phenomena. The knowledge discovery advanced by the cyberCommons is expected to have immediate and long-term applicability to the management and sustainability of grassland ecosystems on the Central Plains. Using web portals, resources and tools developed for the cyberCommons, teachers and students at a wide range of institutions in OK and KS will have new opportunities for hands-on exploration of the science of ecological forecasting. Such outreach efforts will reach the growing population of minorities, help advance the curriculum at a diverse range of institutions, and improve workforce education and training in areas of vital importance to the economy of the region. New curricular content at the participating universities will help prepare the next generation of researchers to work in CI environments and virtual collaborations. By leveraging existing successful programs that serve young women, blacks, and Native Americans in both states, the cyberCommons will foster engagement in science and careers among groups traditionally underrepresented in science, engineering and eco-forecasting disciplines.