Establishment of a National Ecological Research Program and Institute
Establishment of a national ecological research program and institute is discussed. The author says we need to establish a long-term ecological research program to develop a fuller understanding of basic ecosystem process so that scientists can evaluate the health of ecological systems and can predict quantitative and qualitative changes in these systems under foreseeable natural and man-made stress. This area is beginning to be addressed by the CEES, for example, but again with insufficient funding in comparison with other aspects of the US Global Change Program. The major elements of a long-term ecological research program should focus on providing support to develop the theories and hypotheses that dictate the required ecological measurements. EMAP is an excellent example of a large program that could benefit from new funding resources for the development of ecological theory and the study of ecological processes. These understandings are particularly important, and lacking, in system interfaces such as land/water interactions and atmosphere/canopy interactions. Funding stability for long-term ecological research can only be attained through a national commitment to the need. The commitment should be directed in a way that is sensitive to, but not controlled by, policy. Policy issues are particularly important as we attempt to deal with major environmental concerns, but long-term ecological research needs to be sufficiently independent of this process in order to maintain continuity and stability.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 10133301
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9006407-1; ON: DE92011217; TRN: 92:011840
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional public meeting on establishment of a national ecological research program and institute,Philadelphia, PA (United States),7 Jun 1990; Other Information: DN: Environmental Sciences Division Publication No. 3855; PBD: 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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