Long-Term Ecological Research Between Theory and Application
Ecosystems change on a multitude of spatial and temporal scales. While analyses of ecosystem dynamics in short timespans have received much attention, the impacts of changes in the long term have, to a great extent, been neglected, provoking a lack of inf
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Felix Müller · Cornelia Baessler · Hendrik Schubert · Stefan Klotz Editors
Long-Term Ecological Research Between Theory and Application
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Editors Felix Müller University of Kiel Ecology Centre Olshausenstraße 75 D-24118 Kiel Germany [email protected] Hendrik Schubert University of Rostock, Institute of Biosciences Albert-Einstein-Straße 3 D-18055 Rostock Germany [email protected]
Cornelia Baessler Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ Department of Community Ecology Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4 06120 Halle Germany [email protected] Stefan Klotz Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ Department of Community Ecology Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4 06120 Halle Germany [email protected]
ISBN 978-90-481-8781-2 e-ISBN 978-90-481-8782-9 DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8782-9 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2010925420 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Cover Images: Bavarian Forest National Park. Photos courtesy of Heinrich Rall. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface
The components of global change operate on different spatial and temporal scales. Scientific analyses of this issue, however, often deal with shorter time scales, due to the typical funding duration of research projects. In spite of this practice, long-term observation is indispensable for the detection of long-term processes and changes and thus is the foundation needed to develop sustainable strategies. Long-term observation and monitoring imply that data are saved and documented and that they stay accessible for a long time after individual research or projects have been completed. This is in line with the long-term horizon of large-scale strategies for environmental protection and the sustainable use of nature, such as the EU Habitats Directive and the EU Water Framework Directive, which consider time periods of over 20 years for planning and observation. Long-term approaches are particularly important in investigations of environmental change, because the respective modifications usually occur only gradually, accompanied by larger temporal fluctuations garbling the trend. Under such circumstances, only an adequately long observation period can be a sound basis to secure significant results and to support predictions. These long-dated phenomena are the subjects of the Long-Term Ecosystem Research Initiative (LTER). LTER is organized into networks ranging from the global to national scale. Networking is essential for the development of and tuning into common standards and research strateg
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