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

EPS-0919466，俄克拉何马大学诺曼校区，Paul Risser，链接到EPS-0919443（堪萨斯大学研究中心）EPSCoR ii Track 2俄克拉荷马州和堪萨斯州：生态预测的网络共享在EPSCoR的两个州，堪萨斯州和俄克拉荷马州，四所大学（堪萨斯大学（KU），俄克拉荷马州大学（OU），堪萨斯州立大学（KSU）和俄克拉荷马州立大学（OSU））联合起来创建一个网络共享，一个强大的，集成的网络环境，用于复杂环境现象的知识发现和教育。网络共享将整合两个框架？数据、模型、分析和叙述的科学框架，硬件、软件、协作环境和集成环境的网络基础设施框架。两个科学问题是理解和预测中原生态系统的基础，也是本项目的主要重点：(1)自然和人为的土地利用/土地覆盖和气候变化对生物地球化学循环和生态系统功能的影响是什么？反过来，这些驱动因素和后果之间的反馈是什么？(2)自然和人为的土地利用/土地覆盖和气候变化对生物多样性的影响是什么？它的组成、模式和动态？反过来，这些生物多样性的变化如何影响动植物疾病和入侵物种的传播，这些现象如何影响生态系统的结构、功能和服务？知识价值。这四所大学的科学家独立开发了研究专业知识、基于web的数据门户、web应用程序以及处理生态驱动因素和后果的模型。CI工具在很大程度上沿着生态和生物数据、模型、分析和叙事场景的单一、独立管道推进这项研究。网络共享被认为能够实现跨这些管道的统一、协作研究，改变生态复杂性的建模和综合。它将建立并联合财团？中国在生态观测、数据同化和分布、数学建模和CI架构方面的现有专业知识和能力。实际上，网络共享将创造一个新的研究和教育社区，超越地理、学科和机构的界限，促进点对点合作和新的教学方法。更广泛的影响。建议建立网络公域，以巩固两国在生态、生物多样性和信息基础科学方面的优势。研究人员计划通过一个新的CI/科学框架，通过对复杂环境现象的跨领域调查，增强这些优势和研究竞争力。网络公地的知识发现有望对中原草原生态系统的管理和可持续性具有直接和长期的适用性。利用为网络共享而开发的门户网站、资源和工具，OK和KS众多机构的教师和学生将有新的机会亲自探索生态预测科学。这种外联努力将惠及不断增长的少数民族人口，帮助推动各种机构的课程，并在对该地区经济至关重要的领域改善劳动力教育和培训。参与大学的新课程内容将有助于为下一代研究人员在CI环境和虚拟合作中工作做好准备。通过利用现有的成功项目，为两个州的年轻女性、黑人和印第安人服务，网络共享资源将促进传统上在科学、工程和生态预测学科中代表性不足的群体对科学和职业的参与。

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.