The KBS LTER Project: Long-Term Ecological Research in Row-Crop Agriculture

凯洛格生物站LTER(KBS)成立于1987年，研究大田作物生态系统中的基本生态关系，以更好地了解独立于外部补贴(如化肥、杀虫剂)控制生产力的内部过程。最初的目标保持不变：有效地用种植系统农艺管理中的生态学知识和理论取代对化学方法的依赖。研究涉及对比种植制度和演替植被的长期观察、短期田间试验和建模的协同活动。假设检验涉及生态系统生产力和养分保持的模式和过程，包括植物群落动态、土壤微生物种群、昆虫消费者动态、流域和田间尺度的生物地球化学、人类相互作用和区域过程。KBS-4围绕着相同的初始假设进行组织，尽管采用了新的概念研究模型，并增加了对生态系统服务价值的新关注。该模型将对大田作物生态系统的生态学理解组织成侧重于生态结构(例如，生物体及其适应、种群和群落组合、生境结构)与生态功能(例如，生物地球化学过程、能量捕获和流动以及水动力学)的组成部分。这些组成部分之间的联系在很大程度上决定了生态系统产品和服务的生产机制，这些产品为农业提供了经济和社会理由。主要研究主题包括植物群落变化、微生物过程、节肢动物群落的控制、溶质和微量气体的生物地球化学通量、农田生态系统服务的人类价值以及区域化(通过模型放大)。KBS在开发和使用生态学方法来提高我们对农业生态系统的理解方面是一个公认的领导者。KBS的研究涉及粮食生产，这是一个具有全球意义的话题，并已准备好实际应用于美国中西部农业的持续发展，以及为更广泛的可持续农业领域做出重大贡献的潜力。KBS的外联和教育活动很活跃。媒体、当地和地区农业社区以及其他影响土地管理的关键公民群体正在接触到研究成果。KBS高度重视与农业决策和全球变化问题的联系。KBS的几位科学家已经就农业问题向国会作证，并建立了牢固的国际联系。该网站有一个重要的实地推广计划，为更广泛的社区提供广泛的服务和教育机会，包括农业推广服务、非正式教育、大学课程、本科生和研究生的研究经验，以及为K-12学生和教育工作者举办的校园LTER活动。对LTER网络的贡献包括出版一本土壤方法综合书籍和参与多样性x NPP和LINX全网研究。该网站即将完全采用生态元语言(EML2)格式标准，以确保轻松进行数据交换。

Initiated in 1987, the Kellogg Biological Station LTER (KBS) examines basic ecological relationships in field crop ecosystems to better understand internal processes controlling productivity independently of external subsidies (e.g., fertilizers, pesticides). The initial goal remains the same: effectively substituting ecological knowledge and theory in the agronomic management of cropping systems for a reliance on chemically based approaches. Research involves synergistic activities of long-term observations of contrasting cropping systems and successional vegetation, shorter-term field experiments, and modeling. Hypothesis testing relates to patterns and processes underlying ecosystem productivity and nutrient retention, including plant community dynamics, soil microbial populations, insect consumer dynamics, watershed and field-scale biogeochemistry, human interactions, and regional processes. KBS-4 is organized around the same initial hypothesis, albeit with a new conceptual research model and the addition of a new focus on valuation of ecosystem services. The model organizes ecological understanding of field crop ecosystems into components focused on ecological structure (e.g., organisms and their adaptations, population and community assemblages, and habitat structure) vis a vis ecological functions (e.g., biogeochemical processes, energy capture and flow, and hydrodynamics). Linkages between these components largely define the mechanisms that underlie the production of ecosystem goods and services, those products that provide the economic and social rationale for farming. Major research topics include plant community change, microbial processes, controls of arthropod communities, biogeochemical fluxes of solutes and trace gases, human valuation of cropland ecosystem services, and regionalization (scaling up via models).Broader Impacts. KBS is an established leader in developing and using ecological approaches to improving our understanding of agroecosystems. KBS research deals with food production, a topic of global significance, and has ready practical applications to the ongoing development of mid-western US agriculture, as well as the potential to make significant contributions to the more general area of sustainable agriculture. Outreach and educational activities are robust at KBS. Research findings are reaching the media, local and regional agricultural communities, and other key citizen groups influencing land management. KBS places a high priority on connections with agricultural policymaking and global-change issues. Several KBS scientists have testified to Congress on agricultural issues and strong international connections have been forged. The site has a significant on-the-ground outreach program offering a wide range of service and educational opportunities to the broader community including agricultural extension services, informal education, university coursework, research experience for undergraduate and graduate students, and Schoolyard LTER activities for K-12 students and educators. Contributions to the LTER network include the publication of a soils methods synthesis book and participation in the diversity x NPP and LINX network-wide studies. The site is close to full adoption of the Ecological Meta-Language (EML2) format standard to ensure easy data exchange.