Stimulating and Facilitating Collaborative Long-Term Ecological Research: A Proposal for Continuing Support of the LTER Network Office

长期生态研究(LTER)计划已经将自己从一个松散的附属网站集合转变为一个综合网络。最近的成就包括：开发了一个有效的电子通信系统；创建了数据目录和共享数据集，包括用于站点网络的综合卫星图像；促进了跨站点综合和试验；并与其他科学中心和联邦机构建立联系。总的来说，长期环境研究网络扩大了其工作重点，纳入了更大的空间维度(区域和全球)，并在涉及长期实验和观测以及多地点综合的生态研究方面发挥了领导作用。长期热核实验堆的联网活动使科学协作远远超出了正式的长期热核实验堆网络。与一般生态界和其他研究组织和机构的初步合作涉及研究规划和电子通信。在接下来的两年里，LTER希望与NSF资助的超级计算机和地理信息系统中心、NASA以及其他国家的LTER类似项目等不同实体建立新的联系。该项目将继续开展活动，促进长期研究网络中的合作研究，并提供与其他长期研究网络(国内和国际)、机构方案和科学家的联系。大部分资源将用于支持有组织的、电子连接的科学家小组的基础设施，这些科学家在正式的长期热核实验堆方案内外进行多站点研究和合成。支持网络通信、信息和数据交换仍然是网络办公室的主要工作重点。一项主要内容是电子获取和信息交换，从电子邮件服务到在线数据库和数据共享。在本建议期间(1993年)的一个特别项目是第三次低温热核实验堆全体科学家会议和一次相关的国际低温热核实验堆首脑会议。未来两年的主要战略重点是与其他机构、机构、研究项目和对长期生态研究感兴趣的科学家建立工作联系，包括其他NSF资助的科学中心。拟议的活动包括：(1)扩大现有通信网络、数据目录和在线数据库，开发书目数据库；(2)与美国宇航局和超级计算机中心合作，获取、存档和分析一系列遥感数据；(3)维持与协调委员会和LTER网络相关的促进结构和出版方案；以及(4)更多地参与国内(例如，由美国地质勘探局、美国农业部和核动力局赞助)和国际上的其他长期研究方案。网络工作人员的研究和开发工作将在数据库管理、遥感数据、地理信息分析和站点间比较等领域进行。

The Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program has transformed itself from a loosely affiliated collection of sites to an integrated network. Recent accomplishments include: development of an effective electronic communication system; creation of data catalogs and shared data sets, including comprehensive satellite imagery for the network of sites; stimulation of cross-site syntheses and experiments; and linking with other scientific centers and federal agencies. Collectively, the LTER Network has expanded its focus to include larger spatial dimensions (regional and global) and has assumed a leadership role in ecological research involving long-term experimentation and observation and multi-site synthesis. The networked activities of LTER had allowed scientific collaboration far beyond the formal LTER Network. Initial collaborations with the general ecological community and other research organizations and agencies have involved research planning and electronic communication. During the next two years LTER expects to forge new linkages with such diverse entities as the NSF-funded supercomputer and GIS centers, NASA, and LTER-like programs in other countries. This project will presents the continuation of activities which facilitate collaborative research in the LTER Network and provide the linkages to other long-term research networks (domestic and international), agency programs, and scientists. Most of the resources will be used to support the infrastructure of the organized, electronically-linked group of scientists working on multi-site research and synthesis within and beyond the formal LTER Program. Support of Network communication, information and data exchange continues as a primary focus for the Network Office. A major element is electronic access and information exchange, ranging from electronic mail services to on-line databases and data sharing. A special project during this proposal period (1993) is the third LTER All Scientists meeting and an associated international LTER summit. The major strategic emphasis in the next two years is building working linkages with other agencies, institutions, research programs, and scientists with interests in long-term ecological research, including other NSF-funded science centers. Proposed activities include: (1) Expansion of the existing communication network, data catalog, and on-line databases and development of a bibliographic database; (2) Acquisition, archiving, and analysis of an array of remotely sensed data from collaboration with NASA and the Supercomputer Centers; (3) Maintenance of the facilitating structure and publication program associated with the Coordinating Committee and LTER Network; and (4) Increased involvement with other long- term research programs both domestically (e.g., sponsored by USGS, USDA, and NPS) and internationally. Research and development efforts by the network staff will occur in areas of database management, remotely sensed data, geographic information analysis, and intersite comparisons.