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Building a Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure to address global grand challenges for macrosystem ecology
  • +15
  • Henry W Loescher,
  • Rodrigo Vargas,
  • Michael Mirtl,
  • Beryl Morris,
  • Johan Pauw,
  • Xiubo Yu,
  • Werner Kutsch,
  • Paula Mabee,
  • Jianwu Tang,
  • Benjamin L Ruddell,
  • Peter Pulsifer,
  • Jaana Bäck,
  • Steffen Zacharias,
  • Mark Grant,
  • Gregor Feig,
  • Leiming Zheng,
  • Christoph Waldmann,
  • Melissa A Genazzio
Henry W Loescher
Battelle, National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), and

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Rodrigo Vargas
University of Delaware
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Michael Mirtl
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH, and
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Beryl Morris
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) Australia, The University of Queensland
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Johan Pauw
South African Environmental Observation Network of the National Research Foundation (SAEON),
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Xiubo Yu
Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN), and
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Werner Kutsch
Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS), ERIC Head Office
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Paula Mabee
Battelle, National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)
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Jianwu Tang
The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole
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Benjamin L Ruddell
School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University
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Peter Pulsifer
Geography and Environmental Studies
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Jaana Bäck
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki
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Steffen Zacharias
Dept. Monitoring and Exploration Technologies, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH
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Mark Grant
Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) Australia, The University of Queensland
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Gregor Feig
South African Environmental Observation Network of the National Research Foundation (SAEON)
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Leiming Zheng
Synthesis Center of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network,
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Christoph Waldmann
MARUM, University of Bremen
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Melissa A Genazzio
Battelle, National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)
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Abstract

The development of several large-, ‘continental’-scale ecosystem research infrastructures over recent decades has provided a unique opportunity in the history of ecological science. The Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) is an integrated network of analogous, but independent, site-based ecosystem research infrastructures (ERI) dedicated to better understand the function and change of indicator ecosystems across global biomes. Bringing together these ERIs, harmonizing their respective data and reducing uncertainties enables broader cross-continental ecological research. It will also enhances the research community capabilities to anticipate and address future global scale ecological challenges to the planet. Moreover, increasing the international capabilities of these ERIs goes beyond their original design intent, and is an unexpected added value of these large national investments. Here, we identify specific global grand challenge areas and research trends to advance the ecological frontiers across continents that can be addressed through the federation of these cross-continental-scale ERIs.
May 2022Published in Earth's Future volume 10 issue 5. 10.1029/2020EF001696