Ecosystem Studies: Supports investigations of whole-system ecological processes and relationships in ecosystems across a diversity of spatial and temporal (including paleo) scales. Proposals may focus on areas such as: biogeochemistry; decomposition of organic matter; belowground nutrient cycling and energy flow; primary productivity; radiatively active gas flux; element budgets on watershed, regional, continental, or global scales; relationships between diversity and ecosystem function; ecosystem services; and landscape dynamics. Proposals will be considered that focus on advancing ecosystem science through either the pursuit of new theoretical paradigms or novel modeling efforts. Proposals that, in whole or in part, strive to develop new techniques can be supported when a compelling argument exists that there is the potential for a major advance in ecosystem research.

Inter- and multi-disciplinary proposals that fall across traditional programmatic boundaries are welcomed and encouraged. Proposals may focus on the cycling of non-nutrient elements, but proposals that are ecotoxicological in orientation will not be considered. Ecosystem-oriented proposals that focus on coastal marine or deep ocean habitats are reviewed by the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences.

Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER): Supports fundamental ecological research that requires long time periods and large spatial scales. This cluster supports a coordinated network of more than two dozen field sites. The general mission of LTER is to understand ecological phenomena that occur over long temporal and broad spatial scales; to create a legacy of well-designed and documented ecological experiments; to conduct major syntheses and theoretical efforts; and to provide information necessary for the identification and solution of environmental problems. The LTER network of sites conducts integrated research in five core areas: pattern and control of primary production; spatial and temporal distribution of populations selected to represent trophic structure; pattern and control of organic matter accumulation in surface soils and sediments; patterns of inorganic inputs and movements of nutrients through soils and waters; and patterns, frequency, and effects of disturbance. LTER also supports a Network Office [http://lternet.edu/sites/net/], whose mission is to coordinate and facilitate information technology development and implementation across the network, to facilitate management of the network, to aid efforts in research synthesis, and to conduct public outreach. LTER field sites represent a diversity of habitats in continental North America, the Caribbean, and the Antarctic, including deserts, estuaries, lakes, prairies, various forests, alpine and Arctic tundra, urban areas and production agriculture. This breadth is possible through coordinated funding from Biological Sciences, Geosciences, Polar Programs, and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences. Supplemental funding supports the LTER Schoolyard educational program, international collaborative research, and related activities at LTER sites.

LTER does not solicit proposals, except when new LTER sites are initiated and does not accept unsolicited proposals from LTER or non-LTER PIs. For more information and announcements of opportunity, visit the LTER web page [http://www.lternet.edu/].

In July 2001, BIO commissioned an international committee of 17 scientists to conduct a 20-year review of the LTER program - Read the report.

Cluster Contact Information