International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) Network Activities:

Evaluating the Changes of Ecosystem Structure and Function and Biodiversity in the East Asia – Pacific Region

Eun-Shik KimGeneral Secretary, Executive Committee, ILTER Network

Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea

East Asia and Pacific Region

Regional Challengesfor Ecosystem Management

in the Future

Resources DepletionEnvironmental PollutionBiodiversity Losses

Sustainability of Ecosystems

Major Characteristics of Environmental Events

in Evaluating the Changes of Ecosystem Structure and Function and Biodiversity Losses in the East Asia – Pacific Region

Slow or transientEpisodic or infrequent Stochastic (without apparent trends)With multiple causalityWith major time lags

Sequence of Presentation

Brief Introduction to ILTERChallenges and Strategies for Development for International CooperationMessages from ILTER Chair

Sequence of Presentation (1)

Brief Introduction to ILTERChallenges and Strategies for Development for International CooperationMessages from ILTER Chair

Brief ILTER Network HistorySince its establishment in 1980, the US-LTER enterprise has evolved from five sites into a network comprising 26ecologically diverse sites.In 1993, the International LTER

Network was formed and, in 2006, it has grown into 32 member networks.

Framework of International LTER Network

North American

Central / South American

African Middle East

East Asia / Pacific

Central / Eastern

European

West European

ILTERCoordinating

& Executive

Committees

Professor Tamiji InoueKyoto University

Member Network / Countries Participating in East Asia & Pacific Regional ILTER Network:

Network Members and Countries under Development

Japan

Vietnam

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Australia

Taiwan

Korea

China

Mongolia

East Asia / Pacific

Regional Network

Research Networks of Scientists, collectively engaged and dedicated to multi- and interdisciplinary long-term and large scale research and monitoring in ecological science including human dimensions

Member LTER Networks: Australia LTER, Austria LTER, Brazil LTER,Costa Rica LTER, CERN (China), EMAN (Canada), KLTER, MEX-LTER, SAEON (South Africa), Slovakia LTER, TERN, US LTER, etc.

Regional Network Representatives and Others Elected: East Asia & Pacific, East Europe, North America, South and Central America, Southern Africa, West EuropeRegional Networks

Temporary Structures of ILTER: Standing Committees and Ad hoc Committees

ILTERExecutive Committee

ILTERExecutive Committee

ILTERChairILTERChair

LTER ScientistsLTER Scientists

ILTER Coordinating Committee

ILTER Coordinating Committee

ILTER Organizational Chart

The International Long Term Ecological Research Network(ILTER Network)

ILTER Organization

ILTER Executive Committee- Chairperson: Hen-biau King (Taiwan)- Western Europe – Michael Mirtl (Austria)- Central/Eastern Europe - Julius Oszlanyi (Slovakia)- North America - Manuel Maass (Mexico)- Central/South America - Jorge Jimenez (Costa Rica)- East Asia/Pacific - Zhao Shidong (China)- Southern Africa (ELTOSA) - Johan Pauw (S. Africa) - General Secretary – Eun-Shik Kim (Korea)

ILTER Coordinating CommitteeConsists of one voting representative from each ILTER member network

- 32 member networks: - New members in 2005: Germany and Lithuania

Definition of ILTER Member Networks

The network of ecological scientists and sites collectively engaged to conduct scientific research according to the ILTER mission, vision and goals

Long-term research is necessary to understand ecological events

in Evaluating the Changes of Ecosystem Structure and Function and

Biodiversity Losses in the East Asia – Pacific Region

Slow or transient processesEpisodic or infrequent Stochastic (unapparent trends)With multiple causalityWith major time lags

PA L E OE C O L O G Y & L IM N O L O G Y

L T E R

M O S TE C O L O G Y

R E S E A R C H S C A L E S

• E v o lu tio n o f S p e c ie s

• B o g S u cce s s io n• F o re s t C o m m u n ity

M igra t io n• S p e c ie s I n v as io n• F o re s t S u cce s s io n

• C u ltu ra l E u tro p h ica t io n

• H are P o p u la t io n• P ra ir ie P o p u la t io n

• A n n u a l P lan ts• P lan k to n

S u cce s s io n

• A lga l b lo o m• D ie l M igra t io n

Y E A R SP H Y S IC A L

R E S E T E V E N T SB IO L O G IC A L P H E N O M E N A

1 0 5

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1 0 0

1 0 - 1

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1 0 M IL L E N N IA

M IL L E N N IU M

C E N T U R Y

D E C A D E

Y E A R

M O N T H

D AY

H O U R

• C o n tin e ta l G lac it io n

• C lim a te C h an ge

• F o re s t F ire s• C O 2 C lim a te

W arm in g• S u n S p o t C yc le• E l N in o

• P ra irie F ire s• L ak e T u rn o v e r• O ce an U p w e ll in g

• S to rm s• D ie l L igh t C yc le• T id e s

LTER research covers time scales from months to centuries

The time scales addressed by the Long Term Ecological Research Program fall outside the range of those typically addressed in other ecological research programs (Source: Robert Waide, 1999)

Main Characteristics of LTER Activities

Site-based study (ecosystem)Networks of sites on local, regional, and global levelLong-term research and monitoringData sharing and archiving as key activitiesStandardization for providing comparability of resultsAddressing environmental problems for decision makersLegacy of ecological data for future generations

Need for data sharing against information decay

Data loses value over time unless documented and archived.

LTER Goals

Understanding: Gaining ecological understanding of a diverse array of ecosystems Synthesis: Using the network of sites to create general ecological knowledge through the synthesis of information gained from long-term research Information Dissemination: Creating well designed, documented, accessible databases Legacies: Creating a legacy of well designed and documented observations and experiments Training: Developing a cadre of scientists equipped to conduct long-term, collaborative research Outreach: Providing knowledge to the broader ecological community, general public, resource managers, and policy makers

Benefits of Collaboration

Achieve works that an individual cannot do independentlyShare good ideasShare sophisticated equipmentsShare data Broaden spatial scaleShorten research timeAdvance knowledge

Requirement for success

Effective organizationSitesCommitteeCoordination

Excellence in scientific contributionDevoted to data sharing systemBudget from/and governmental supportGood facility and site conditionsSharing vision and cooperation

Sequence of Presentation (2)

Brief Introduction to ILTERChallenges and Strategies for Development for International CooperationMessages from ILTER Chair

Focus of ILTER Network Activitiesin the Future

Resource DepletionBiodiversity LossChange of Ecosystems in Structure and Function Local, Regional and Global Changes in Environment

ILTER at its Turning Point (1)

Recently, US NSF who supported the ILTER network activity in providing the services of network office of ILTER Network changed its policy not to be the sole funder of the network activity.While they want to remain as one of the supporters of the activity, it is challenging for the ILTER Network to be an independent International Organization in the coming years.

ILTER at its Turning Point (2)

Immediate necessity

Problems to overcome furtherNetworks in regional and national networks in different levels of development in activitiesConsensus on the future shape of ILTER madeServices to society in global sense (it may need to answer some important global issues and questions)Stable infrastructure as an international organization

Challenges in strategic planningfor being considered as a true international organization

Low-level recognition from many governments (e.g., Japan, France, Italy and Russia, among the G-8 Countries, do not even support LTER network activities officially, yet)Difficulties for the ecologists in many countries including the countries above to persuade their governments to support their LTER activities in national levelsFew messages to give to decision makers in funding LTER activitiesin national, regional as well as international levels (e.g., in answering such question as, What does ILTER do for the world?; should we just answer them in saying that we are doing ecological research in long-term or that we are doing some important services for the world by the LTER Network?)Infrastructure for sustained management of the organization

Development of criteria and their priorities for evaluating successful

management of ILTER (1)

Short term aspectGlobal Coverage and Participation?Does ILTER Network have a sound strategic plan and enough means to implement it?Are the regional networks soundly managed under common strategy?

Development of criteria and their priorities for evaluating successful

management of ILTER (2)

Intermediate term aspectIs ILTER Network Office managed in a sustainable way?Is ILTER Network addressing important issues of concern for the public on national, regional and global level?Is the regional ILTER activities upgraded?

Long term aspectHow could the ILTER Network activities be upgraded to an address questions in international level?

Framework of International LTER Network

North American

Central / South American

African Middle East

East Asia / Pacific

Central / Eastern

European

West European

ILTERCoordinating

& Executive

Committees

VisionMember Network / Countries Participating in East Asia & Pacific Regional ILTER Network:

With Many More Network Members

Japan

Vietnam

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Australia

Malaysia

Korea

China

Mongolia

East Asia / Pacific

Regional Network

Sequence of Presentation (3)

Brief Introduction to ILTERChallenges and Strategies for Development for International CooperationMessages from ILTER Chair

Messages from Dr. King, Hen-biau,

the Chair of ILTER Network

New technologies have enabled complex investigations

Possible!!!

VTC

Telephone conference

About the ProjectProposalPeopleData (near real time)Meeting NotesPresentationsUpcoming EventsGalleryLinks

http://lakemetabolism.org

Yuan-Yang Lake, Taiwan

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Trout Bog, Wisconsin, USA

O2 Saturation

O2 Concentration

Yuan-Yang Lake, Taiwan

Trout Bog, Wisconsin, USA

2004 data

2004 data

Changes in daily oxygen used to calculate lake productivity and respiration

Information Technology and Management

Meeting is Beginning

Keeping for Progress

VTC

Working Together for

SuccessTAIWAN

ILTER Information on the Web

ILTER Network Home Pagewww.ilternet.edu

Links to ILTER Networkswww.ilternet.edu/networks

International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) Network Activities:

Evaluating the Changes of Ecosystem Structure and Function and Biodiversity in the East Asia – Pacific Region

Eun-Shik KimGeneral Secretary, Executive Committee, ILTER Network

Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea