Ökologische Langzeitforschung für Naturschutz : Überblick, Abgrenzung und Einführung : Die Bedeutung ökologischer Langzeitforschung für Naturschutz

Long-term ecological research for nature conservation

1998

47 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

12751

200080564

Nature conservation urgently needs information gained by long-term ecological research (LTER) as a basis for the development of conservation strategies and the elaboration of management measures. Several phenomena can only be observed and analysed through long-term projects, e.g. slow processes, rare, episodic or complex phenomena, and processes of high variability. LTER is also necessary to test ecological hypotheses. However, no clear definition of "long-term" does exist. Pragmatically the minimum timespan for a study may be set at 5 years of field sampling (consecutive or with time gaps). The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) has some experience with own long-term research projects as well as with promoting and funding of long-term projects. An overview of these studies and their thematic scope is given. Compared to some other countries LTER in Germany is poorly developed. There seems to be a lack in the recognition of its importance. A main problem to be considered is how to bring together the demands of applied and action oriented nature conservation with long-term research which is focussed mainly on basic items of highly theoretical significance. However, long-term ecological research must be better applicable to become more accepted in conservation biology. Requirements of nature conservation which must be met by LTER-projects are discussed.