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尺度上对氮沉积、物种入侵和灭绝等环境变化的复杂生态响应，迫切需要进行大规模的实验。营养网络或NutNet是一个由60多名科学家在北美、欧洲、澳大利亚、南美、亚洲和非洲的40多个地点组成的合作网络。作为一个团队，NutNet的成员正在世界各地的草原上进行相同的实验，为这些重要的生态问题带来独特的、高质量的数据。网络参与者已同意提供自己的资金来支持NutNet试验田的安装、维护和采样。由于全球研究人员对NutNet的参与已经大大超出了最初的预期，目前的拨款将资助一名协调员，与核心网络参与者一起设计和实施基于网络的数据和元数据输入表格，确保网络范围的数据质量，生产教育和推广产品，并计划和执行几次网络会议。NutNet是一项独特的全球努力，旨在全面了解施肥（如氮或磷径流、空中氮沉降）和消费者（如引进物种）对世界各地草原植物群落和生态系统服务的控制程度。虽然针对这一目标的部分研究已在我们网络中的许多单独站点进行，但缺乏高度协调的跨站点研究，例如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还有助于建立一个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。由于建立一个单一的NutNet站点并对其进行采样所需的费用最少，目前许多NutNet的合作者都是年轻的研究者或来自发展中国家的研究者。所有NutNet参与者的共同努力将产生一个规模空前的可复制实验基础设施。NutNet应该会发表一些高知名度的出版物，解决诸如草地对富营养化的反应等紧迫的社会问题。

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.