Long-term ecosystem studies in Isle Royale, Olympic, and Rocky Mountain National Parks; Noatak National Preserve, and Fraser Experimental Forest [2001 annual report]
Stottlemyer R, Baron J, Edmonds R, Scherbarth L, Steltzer H. 2002. Long-term ecosystem studies in Isle Royale, Olympic, and Rocky Mountain National Parks; Noatak National Preserve, and Fraser Experimental Forest [2001 annual report]. Res. Rept. No. 95. USGS Biological Resources Division. Fort Collins, Colorado
The Long-term Ecosystem Studies program, established by the National Park Service as the Small Watershed Research Program in 1982, consists of sites in Rocky Mountain National Park (Loch Vale watershed0, Olympic National Park (West Twin Creek watershed), Isle Royale National Park (Wallace Lake watershed), the Noatak National Preserve (Asik watershed), and the Fraser Experimental Forest, a cooperative U.S. Forest Service research site. Each site within the network also has studies underway funded by other programs including the USGS Global Change Program the results of which are summarized elsewhere (Stottlemyer et al., 2001). The program objectives initially were to 1) gain understanding of ecosystem structure and function in little-studied systems, and 2) assess the long-term effects of atmospheric inputs of hydrogen (H+), nitrogen (mainly NO3- and NH4+), and sulfur (SO42-) in National Park ecosystems receiving a gradient of atmosphere deposition. In recent years the research objectives have shifted to examine the broader ramifications of global change, in particular the relationships between N inputs, ecosystem C and N cycles, and below-ground microbial functional diversity. This network is also paired with complementary Global Change Research sites at two additional National Parks: the Noland Divide watershed, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Pine Canyon watershed, Big Bend National Park. The design permits comparison of findings between the Great Smoky Mountains site (high precipitation and high N deposition) with Olympic (high precipitation, low N deposition); Big Bend (warm desert) and Asik (cold desert); Asik (northern boreal ecotone) with Isle Royale National Park (southern boreal ecotone); and Rocky Mountain National Park (high elevation, east slope, lower precipitation amount) and the Fraser Experimental Forest (high elevation, west slope, high precipitation amount), Such contrasts in physical factors have a profound effect in regulating the rate and relative importance of ecosystem processes.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Stottlemyer, Robert; Baron, Jill; Edmonds, Robert; Scherbarth, Laura; Steltzer, Heidi
- Date of Issue
- 2002-03
- Publisher
- USGS Biological Resources Division
- Units
- BIBE , ISRO , NOAT , OLYM , ROMO , WRD
- Keywords
- Alaska, Aquatic Ecosystems, Asik Watershed, Clemson, Colorado, Community Structure, Drainage, Ecosystem Studies, Fraser Experimental Forest, Human Impact, Loch Vale Watershed, Long-term ecosystem studies, Michigan, Monitoring, network analysis, Noatak National Preserve, Nutrient Cycling, Olympic National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Species, terrestrial ecosystems, Twin Creek, Wallace Lake, Washington, Water Quality, Watershed, Watershed Management, WRBIB