RCN: Coordination of the Nutrient Network (NutNet), global manipulations of nutrients and consumers

为了了解和预测在大陆和全球范围内发生的氮沉积、物种入侵和灭绝等环境变化的复杂生态反应，迫切需要进行大规模实验。营养网络，或称NutNet，是一个由北美、欧洲、澳大利亚、南美、亚洲和非洲40多个地点的60多名科学家组成的合作网络。作为一个小组，NutNet成员正在世界各地的草原上进行相同的实验，以带来关于这些重要生态问题的独特、高质量的数据。网络参与者已经同意提供他们自己的资金来支持NutNet实验区的安装、维护和采样。由于全球研究人员对NutNet的参与已经远远超出了最初的预期，目前的拨款将资助一名协调员与核心网络参与者合作，设计和实施基于网络的数据和元数据条目表格，确保网络范围的数据质量，制作教育和外展产品，并计划和执行几个网络会议。NutNet是一项独特的全球努力，旨在了解施肥(如氮或磷径流、空气氮沉积)和消费者(如引进物种)控制世界各地草原植物群落和生态系统服务的程度。虽然已经在我们网络中的许多单独站点进行了针对这一目标的部分研究，但缺乏高度协调的跨站点研究，如NutNet。NutNet还提供了一个创新的网络环境，促进全球研究合作，这将提高我们在面对巨大的全球变化时预测生态系统反应的能力。此外，NutNet还有助于促进由世界各地具有共同研究目标的研究人员组成的包容性研究社区。由于建立和采样单个NutNet站点的相关费用最低，目前NutNet的许多合作者都是年轻的研究人员或来自发展中国家的研究人员。所有NutNet参与者的共同努力将产生一个规模空前的可复制的实验基础设施。NutNet应该出版几本备受瞩目的出版物，解决紧迫的社会问题，如草原对富营养化的反应。

In order to understand and predict the complex ecological responses to environmental changes such as nitrogen deposition and species invasions and extinctions that are occurring at continental and global scales, there is an urgent need for large-scale experiments. The Nutrient Network, or NutNet is a collaborative network of over 60 scientists at more than 40 sites across North America, Europe, Australia, South America, Asia, and Africa. As a group, NutNet members are performing identical experiments in the world's grasslands to bring unique, high-quality data to bear on these important ecological issues. Network participants have agreed to provide their own funds to support the installation, maintenance, and sampling of NutNet experimental plots. Because participation in the NutNet by researchers around the globe has already vastly exceeded the original expectations, the current grant will fund a coordinator to work with the core network participants to design and implement web-based data and metadata entry forms, ensure network-wide data quality, produce education and outreach products, and plan and execute several network meetings.The NutNet is a uniquely global effort to gain a general understanding of the extent to which fertilization (e.g. nitrogen or phosphorus runoff, aerial nitrogen deposition) and consumers (e.g. introduced species) control plant communities and ecosystem services in grasslands around the world. While studies addressing parts of this goal have been conducted at many of the individual sites in our network, highly coordinated cross-site studies, such as the NutNet, are lacking. The NutNet also provides an innovative networking environment that promotes global research collaborations which will advance our ability to predict ecosystem responses in the face of enormous global changes. In addition, the NutNet also serves to foster an inclusive research community of investigators around the world with a common research goal. Because of the minimal expense associated with setting up and sampling a single NutNet site, many current NutNet collaborators are young investigators or those from developing countries. The combined efforts of all NutNet participants will produce a replicated experimental infrastructure of unprecedented scope. Several high-profile publications should arise from the NutNet, addressing pressing societal issues such as grassland responses to eutrophication.