“Science and data collection doesn’t always have to have flashy gizmos and light speed computers… Methodology, consistency, simple tools and flexible minds are gold in the field. Get out there!”
Sometimes, the best way to understand an ecosystem is simply to stop and listen.
All are welcome to contribute ideas and/or participate in the ILTER Spring 2026 Coordinating Committee teleconference, which will take place on Wednesday, April 29, from 12:00 to 14:00 UTC.
Students engaged in a productive struggle to come to terms with what data needed to be graphed before they could answer the questions.
As a native of Santa Barbara, I grew up exploring the tidepools, splashing in the waves, and kayaking the waters that are now part of the Santa Barbara Coastal-LTER. Now, thanks to the ARETs program, I am better equipped to share my knowledge about this special area with my students.
LIFE UNEARTHED with Ariel Waldman is a visually striking science-driven docu-series that reveals Earth’s ecosystems through radical shifts in scale—from microscopic wildlife to the planet’s most iconic species, and even the potential for life beyond Earth. Hosted by explorer Ariel Waldman, the series spans environments near and far, from the sweeping American Prairies to the alien… Read more »
The 2026 Natural Areas Conference: Where Science Meets Stewardship is scheduled for October 5 – 8, 2026, in Asheville, NC. NAC26 is a great opportunity for LTER Network research scientists to share their work with practitioners—and to discuss use-inspired collaborations. NAA’s conference is by practitioners for practitioners, offering access to quality science, new knowledge, and experience-based practices that bridge… Read more »
The data produced at LTER sites inform many important challenges. Among-site comparisons help to understand how general ecological mechanisms change with local context. Modeling and forecasting efforts employ long term observations and experiments to generate testable predictions. Scaling exercises get at continental or even global interactions with human and economic consequences. LTER synthesis working groups… Read more »
Although biocrusts are small and thin, there is so much to learn about these powerful microbial communities and the roles they play in desert ecosystems.
—by Rebecca Hawk If you step inside a classroom, there’s a good chance you will meet a group of funny and interesting kids and an adult who loves spending their days with them. This adult probably joined the education field with a heart full of hope or a fond memory of their schooling days. Sometimes… Read more »
