Critical Zone Observatory for Intensively Managed Landscapes (IML-CZO)

重点管理景观关键区观测站（IML-CZO）重点管理的景观，土地利用发生重大变化的地区，是经济繁荣的摇篮。然而，变化的强度是造成我们的土地和水环境意外恶化的原因。通过了解景观，土壤和生物群长期共同演变背景下的当今动态，IML-CZO旨在支持评估关键生态，水文和气候服务的短期和长期恢复力。这些包括淡水质量和数量，食物，纤维和（生物）燃料的供应，营养转化和陆地碳储存。该项目的目标是量化的通量和转换，以及相互作用，阈值和动态反馈的水，养分和沉积物在IMLs，并描述快速的土地利用变化如何改变这些系统的脆弱性和弹性。由伊利诺伊州（3，690平方公里的上桑格蒙河流域）和爱荷华州（270平方公里的克利尔克里克流域）的两个站点以及明尼苏达州（44，000平方公里的明尼苏达河流域）的一个合作站点组成的观测网络，共同捕获了中西部低地形冰川和瓦片排水景观的一系列地质多样性，将推动科学和技术进步。科学工作的指导假设是，通过人类改造，IMLs的临界区已经超过了临界点（或阈值），并从物质通量的Transformer（具有高养分、水和沉积物储存）转变为运输者。这种变化威胁到景观的恢复力，以适应未来与持续的人类活动有关的影响，包括气候变化和生物能源作物生产。此外，它损害了生态系统和人口所依赖的关键关键区服务的可持续性，从而增加了国际移动电话的脆弱性。了解和量化危急区对人类发展的反应的变化仍然是一项挑战，目前的评估充其量是定性的。IML-CZO的研究将确定对临界区复原力的威胁，并为旨在减少系统对威胁可持续性的人类活动的脆弱性的管理战略提供信息。我们将开发广泛适用于整个中西部和世界各地类似的低梯度景观的方法和知识库。该项目将在发展下一代劳动力和制定可持续管理战略方面发挥领导作用。IML-CZO将成为几个新的教育和推广计划的启动平台，它将成为与现有组织联系和合作的不可或缺的资源。它将利用和补充整个地区现有的几种资源和方案。CZO将为学生主导的传感和数据收集计划提供试验平台，预计将激发新的研究思路，并进一步推进传感器和测量课程。CZO还将努力与国家大河研究和教育中心、IOWATER、明尼苏达州和伊利诺斯州的RiverWatch志愿者计划合作，招募"公民科学家"（10 - 70岁）参与CZO的工作。 IML-CZO还将作为几个本科生和研究生的培训基地，并通过让他们从事跨学科研究博士后研究助理。

Critical Zone Observatory for Intensively Managed Landscapes (IML-CZO)Intensively managed landscapes, regions of significant land use change, serve as a cradle for economic prosperity. However, the intensity of change is responsible for unintended deterioration of our land and water environments. By understanding present day dynamics in the context of long-term co-evolution of the landscape, soil and biota, IML-CZO aims to support the assessment of short- and long-term resilience of the crucial ecological, hydrological and climatic services. These include freshwater quality and quantity, provision for food, fiber and (bio)fuel, nutrient transformations, and terrestrial carbon storage. The goals of this project are to quantify the fluxes and transformations, as well as interactions, thresholds, and dynamic feedbacks of water, nutrients, and sediment in IMLs, and to characterize how rapid land use changes have altered the vulnerability and resilience of these systems. An observational network of two sites in Illinois (3,690-km2 Upper Sangamon River Basin) and Iowa (270-km2 Clear Creek Watershed), and a partner site in Minnesota (44,000-km2 Minnesota River Basin), which together capture a range of geological diversity of the low relief glaciated and tile-drained landscape in the Midwest, will drive the scientific and technological advances. The guiding hypothesis for the scientific effort is that through human modification, the critical zone of IMLs has passed a tipping point (or threshold) and has changed from being a transformer of material flux, with high nutrient, water, and sediment storage, to being a transporter. This change threatens the resilience of the landscape to accommodate future impacts associated with ongoing human activity, including climate change and bioenergy crop production. Further, it increases the vulnerability of IMLs by compromising the sustainability of key critical-zone services on which ecological systems and human populations depend. Understanding and quantifying shifts in the response of the critical zone to human development remains a challenge, and current assessments are at best qualitative. IML-CZO research will identify threats to resilience of the critical zone, and will also inform management strategies aimed at reducing the vulnerability of the system to human activities that threaten sustainability. We will develop methods and knowledgebase that are broadly applicable across the Midwest and similar low-gradient landscapes worldwide. The project will provide leadership in developing the next generation of work force and informing sustainable management strategies. The IML-CZO will be a launch pad for several new educational and outreach initiatives, and it will be an integral resource to connect and partner with existing organizations. It will draw on and add to several resources and programs available throughout the region. The CZO will provide a testbed for student-led sensing and data collection initiatives, and is expected to stimulate new research ideas and further advance the sensors and measurements curriculum. The CZO will also work to bring together collaborations with National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, IOWATER, Minnesota and Illinois RiverWatch Volunteer programs to enlist "citizen scientist" (age 10 - 70) in the work of the CZO. IML-CZO will also serve as a training ground for several undergraduate and graduate students, and post-doctoral research associates by engaging them in interdisciplinary research.