Integrated European
Long-Term Ecosystem, critical zone and
socio-ecological Research

News

8 May 2023
Israel was the first country to be visited by the eLTER Grand Campaign team for photo and video documentation of the research being done there, as well as the flora, fauna and landscape. As much as the team would like to present its journey as an adventure, it survived the harsh environment of the Israeli desert in the comfort of air-conditioned transport and accommodation. So don't let them tell you otherwise!Nevertheless, it was a real challenge to capture the essence of an ecosystem that...
5 May 2023
On 17-18 January the eLTER coordination, National Coordinators and site managers from Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and the UK gathered in Brussels to discuss current developments in their national networks.The meeting proved to be a great opportunity to identify common challenges and exchange experiences with pushing forward national processes towards establishing eLTER. Moreover, the participants were thoroughly updated on the current status of eLTER from a European perspective.“It wa...
4 May 2023
The Meteorological Institute (MIM) of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU), Germany, invites applications for the following three ACTRIS positions:Research Assistant on ground-based aerosol remote sensingResearch Assistant on ground-based cloud remote sensingResearch Assistant on quality assurance of lidar systemsThe three positions are offered from 01.06.2023 for a period of 3 years. The positions are full-time with salary and benefits based on the German TV-L E13 scale...
21 April 2023
Citizen science (CS) is one the most promising forms of public engagement and it has huge potential to support science-society interactions with mutual benefits.Environmental and ecological sciences are among the most active in proposing CS initiatives, since they necessarily include social and cultural dimensions to confront the complex local and global environmental challenges. This aspect is particularly evident in the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network, which offers...
20 April 2023
The eLTER tools workshop was held in Lyon, France in mid-February 2023, with about 20 participants from 10 countries. The workshop aimed to introduce the latest tools and techniques for working with environmental data from eLTER stations.Topics covered included the collaborative data management platform, DataLabs, which provides a secure space for researchers to collaborate and store code and data. Participants were also introduced to Python tools to extract information from DEIMS-SDR, an essent...
19 April 2023
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München is a leading research university in Europe. Since its founding in 1472 it has been committed to the highest international standards of excellence in research and teaching. The chair for Physical Geography and Land Use Systems (Prof. Julia Pongratz) at LMU’s Department of Geography investigates the interactions between natural ecosystems, land use and climate change. Our group develops and applies the latest generation of land and Earth system models an...
19 April 2023
The call “EURIZON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME: Remote Research Grants for Ukrainian Researchers” is officially open under the H2020 Eurizon Project.The 6/12 months grant will provide temporary support to vulnerable researchers in Ukraine and, if possible, initiate structured and long-term EU-UA scientific and technical collaborations and joint publications (funding is only for UA researchers).Deadline for applications: May 8th, 2023 at 12:00 (noon) CESTAll details and the application form are available...
17 April 2023
eLTER PPP WP4 and WP6, and eLTER PLUS WP3* jointly organised a ‘Methods-Costs Workshop’ at the CNR Headquarters in Rome, Italy from 10-12 January 2023.The aim was to collect all available information on the elements that affect the costings of the eLTER Standard Observations (SOs) in different habitats and different ‘spheres’ (atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and socio-econosphere). This information is crucial for building the eLTER National RI, i.e., the eLTER Sites and eLTSER Pla...
14 April 2023
We are excited to announce the launch of the eLTER Instagram account: europeanlter!To ensure that the eLTER community reaches out to as wide an audience as possible, we launched the eLTER Instagram account. As of January 2023, the majority of Instagram users (around 77%) are between the age of 18 - 44. eLTER puts a special focus on reaching early career researchers, one of the main target audiences of the project. Apparently, Instagram is the place to be.Being an entirely visual platform, Instag...
13 April 2023
After months of preparation, eLTER launched its Grand Campaign (GC) aimed at filling a critical gap in the photo/video archive of the project and to significantly strengthen communication and dissemination activities. The RI's central communication team will visit selected sites and platforms in over 20 partner countries to take photos and videos with drone and camera, as well as to interview researchers and the national LTER teams.The Grand Campaign will provide five core outcomes (and a f...
25 July 2021
The purpose of the document is to provide the various eLTER teams, National Coordinators and the Site and Platform Coordinators with up-to-date information on how to handle their communication on local, national and international level in the best possible way.   Furthermore, the included information could be of general usefulness for the eLTER community even outside of the project. Among the contents of the Handbook are:   - How to write for social media: Twitter / Facebook...
24 July 2021
Country: IsraeleLTER platform: Ramat Hanadiv LTSER PlatformConnected to the edge of the trap is an inverted bottle that traps flies, mosquitoes, moths, and other flying insects. The insects are weighed, identified by experts, and preserved in Israel’s National Nature Collections. The trap is resistant to weather hazards, including the strong winds that blow through the region now and then, and has been fenced by the staff of Ramat Hanadiv to protect it from wildlife damage. The large-holed netti...
23 July 2021
In a collaborative effort of multiple LTER member networks, as well as external input from the University of Maryland and the University of Salzburg, ILTER has funded and recently published an open-access study dedicated to assessing the biogeographical and socio-ecological representativeness of the ILTER site network.The findings of this study and derived recommendations will foster and support the future development of ILTER. The developed methodology also bears relevance for eLTER and has alr...
22 July 2021
The monitoring station of Companhia das Lezírias (CL) joined the LIFEPLAN project, as a representative of the montado landscape. Every week and until 2026, the cE3c team will collect the images and sounds recorded automatically by cameras and audiomoths installed on trees, and samples of spores and flying insects collected with a cyclone sampler and a malaise trap. Soil samples will also be collected 8 times a year. This sampling effort will be alternating every year wit...
20 July 2021
Country: SloveniaeLTER site: Postojna-Planina Cave SystemKarst areas are characterized by solubility of carbonate rocks, resulting in predominantly underground drainage. Due to rapid flow and quick transmission of any substances, these areas are very vulnerable to pollution. Some areas, like large enclosed depressions called poljes, are also susceptible to flooding. This happens when groundwater level rises above surface or when inflow into poljes is larger than outflow through swallow holes.The...
14 July 2021
Following a comprehensive working process eLTER completed a stakeholder assessment identifying six external and one internal stakeholder categories with over 30 groups. The starting point for this mapping exercise was the preliminary stakeholder analysis for the ESFRI application. The initial picture was further developed by several workshops and reflections with internal and external participants. A focus was put on the future eLTER RI coordination and their links to European and national level...
8 July 2021
The Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI) arranged a session in the vEGU2021. The session consisted of 10 presentations covering topics like water resources and oceans, SDG’s addressed by RIs, climate models informing policy decisions and the fundamental concept of the emerging GERI, which was presented by the eLTER PLUS coordinator, Professor Jaana Bäck.   GERI is a consortium of six distributed RIs (eLTER and ICOS in Europe, TERN in Australia, NEON in US,&nbs...
4 July 2021
The Swiss Geosciences Community completed its Roadmap for Research Infrastructures 2025–2028. It recommends strengthening the multidisciplinary nature of the geosciences by putting all activities under the roof of the Integrated Swiss Geosciences. They will be supported by four specific research infrastructure pillars (Figure 1) that provide the basis for a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary integrated and harmonized geoscientific research environment. Pillar I, Integrated Long-term Observato...
2 July 2021
On 7 April 2021, the Government of Slovakia approved the first Roadmap for Research Infrastructures (SK VI Roadmap 2020 - 2030). This is a key document for research infrastructures (RI), which not only monitors the past development and current state of research infrastructure in Slovakia, but also its connection to the economy, domains of smart specialization, international cooperation in the context of the ESFRI and Horizon Europe.                On 7 Apr...
1 July 2021
Understanding the Earth is not possible without interdisciplinary science. We need a holistic approach where environmental data, research products and services produced by the different Research Infrastructures (RIs) are harmonized and easy to access and use for scientists from any field of environmental research. Such integration efforts are organized within the European environmental Research Infrastructures (ENVRI) community.ENVRI is a cluster of terrestrial, solid earth, marine and atmospher...
14 November 2016
Several representatives of the eLTER Research Infrastructure that is being developed via the eLTER ESFRI initiative, attended the 3rd ENVRI week in Prague. ENVRI week, which takes place twice a year in November and May, is dedicated to Environmental Research Infrastructures, and is organised by the ENVRIplus project.As well as sessions relating to ENVRIPlus work themes, there were additional sessions such as a joint session between environmental RIs and the Copernicus programme that is...
14 October 2016
From 10-13 October 2016, three hundred delegates from around the globe gathered in Skukuza in South Africa's Kruger National Park for the first ILTER Open Science Meeting.                 This landmark event, the first of its kind organised by ILTER (the International Long-Term Ecological Research network), provided an opportunity for scientists to share the research carried out at long-term research sites around the world. In all, some 160 presentation...
14 September 2016
A new paper sets out how the international LTER community could collaborate effectively with the global ICSU Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS)                 Members of the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) community have published a paper exploring the contribution that their research can make to understanding changes in biodiversity and trade-offs among ecosystem services, stakeholders and components of well-being....
9 March 2016
A video featuring the Montado long-term research site, one of the eLTER project's Transnational Access sites, has been produced by the OPERAs project.                 The video explains how the cork plantations of Portugal are some of the most biologically diverse agricultural systems on the planet. Despite this, the unique Montado area is under threat from over exploitation, climate change and disease. The EU-funded OPERAs project has teamed up with Po...
1 February 2016
Dr Mark Frenzel (UFZ, Germany), who is closely involved in developing LTER-Europe, was interviewed recently about how LTER-Europe & EU BON can work together                 The European Biodiversity Observation Network, EU BON, has signed memoranda of understanding with almost thirty institutions and projects, aiming at greater collaboration and exchange of expertise. Among the early partners is LTER-Europe. Dr Mark Frenzel, who has had a leading ro...
2 March 2015
LTER-Europe's EnvEurope project picks up an award at Green Week, Brussels                 The EnvEurope project, which was started by and developed within LTER-Europe, has recently won an award for Best LIFE Environment Project, 2014. EnvEurope, which was completely dedicated to the LTER-Europe network, was funded by the European Union's LIFE+ programme. The project contributed to the integration and coordination of long-term ecological research...
1 July 2013
News of a magazine article on long-term research                 "In the era of Big Data, research projects that focus on phenomena that unfold across decades have distinct benefits—and some drawbacks". This article in 'The Scientist' discusses long-term research, it's merits and the associated challenges: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/36091/title/The-Long-View/
2 February 2013
Several members of ILTER - including Martin Forsius of Finnish LTER - have edited a special issue on ecosystem services.     Ecosystem services: climate change and policy impacts is a special issue of the journal Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, and is edited by Bojie Fu, Martin Forsius and Jian Liu. The issue includes papers by the editors, including one by Forsius et al., which is directly based on Finnish LTER data. Also included is a paper by Vihervaara, et al.,...
27 December 2012
A paper published at the end of 2012 by a team of ILTER members demonstrates the importance of the International Long Term Ecological Research network in studying and monitoring environmental changes at a global level.                                           The paper, authored by Dr Petteri Vihervaara (Finland) and co-workers, is entitled "Using long-term ecosystem service and biodivers...
11 November 2012
The International Long Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER), of which LTER-Europe is a part, is leading the development of the GEO BON Global Network of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Observation Sites. The medium terms aims of this initiative are to pull together the "community of common interest" of individuals and contact points for sites and networks that would be willing to contribute to the network.                 A meta-database of sites will al...