Workshop to Integrate Microbial Biology and the National Ecological Observatory Network, February 14-17, 2008, Baton Rouge, LA.

一个研讨会将于2月14日至17日在路易斯安那州立大学举行，以帮助将当前和未来在微生物生物学方面的努力与国家生态观测网络(NEON)的愿景和实施结合起来。霓虹灯代表了生态学研究中的一种变革性方法，因为它能够解决涉及大空间尺度和长时间周期的问题。天文台网络尤其能够理解生态现象的动态变化，以应对气候变化和其他人类引起的环境变化。为了更好地让微生物生物学家了解霓虹灯并让他们参与其研究，大约65名代表微生物生物学不同方面的人将参加一个研讨会，有10-15名霓虹灯管理和地理领域的代表参加。参与者将被提供有关霓虹灯的组织、目标和实施的详细信息，然后将被要求开发一套与这些目标一致的微生物生物学研究问题。与会者将被要求推荐应纳入霓虹灯框架的观察结果，并确定相关的技术和计算需求。组委会将利用建议和相关讨论来编写一份关于更好地将微生物生物学与霓虹灯相结合的选择的“白皮书”。白皮书将分发给霓虹灯参与者和微生物生物学家社区。更广泛的是，这次研讨会将包括一个不同的微生物生物学家社区。将作出具体努力，使相当一部分初级科学家和代表性不足的群体成员参与进来。

A workshop will be held at Louisiana State University, Feb. 14-17 to help integrate contemporary and future efforts in microbial biology with the vision and implementation of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). NEON represents a transformative approach in ecological studies through its ability to address questions that involve large spatial scales and long time periods. The Observatory Network is especially amenable to understanding the dynamics of ecological phenomena in response to changes in climate and other human-induced environmental changes. To better inform microbial biologists about NEON and to engage them with its research, approximately 65 individuals representing diverse aspects of microbial biology will participate in a workshop with 10-15 representatives of NEON's administration and geographic domains. Participants will be provided with details about NEON's organization, goals and implementation, and will then be challenged to develop a set of research questions for microbial biology consistent with those goals. Participants will be asked to recommend observations that should be incorporated into the NEON framework, and to identify associated technological and computational needs. The organizing committee will use recommendations and associated discussions to prepare a "white paper" on options for better integrating microbial biology with NEON. The white paper will be distributed to participants in NEON and to the community of microbial biologists. Broader This workshop will include a diverse community of microbial biologists. Specific efforts will be made involve a significant fraction of junior scientists and members of underrepresented groups.