Long-Term Manipulations

Long-term observations are critically important to understanding the many ways that rare events and sustained influences affect the functioning of ecosystems. But many LTER sites have gone a step beyond observation to undertake long-term experiments -- allowing researchers to carefully and thoroughly assess the impact of rare events, such as hurricanes or ice storms as well as chronic impacts such as warming or changes in precipitation.

These kinds of long-term, controlled experiments are especially useful in parameterizing and testing models of ecosystem change -- particularly when the change in question has not yet occurred in nature.

The database of experiments below was compiled from review of LTER proposals and web sites and interviews with site personnel. If you know of an experiment that is not included, please contact the Network Communications Office and we will seek out additional information.