Final report
The final report of the project is available here.
D1.1: Current capacities of the ExpeER facilities
The report provides a classification and brief evaluation of the ExpeER facilities in terms of their ecosystem coverage, spatio-temporal resolution and challenges still faced by the facilities. The basis of the report consists of information provided by site managers through questionnaires, fact sheets and visits.
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D1.2: Report from the WP1 workshop, Kubus Leipzig, 21-24 february 2012
This report provides an overview of the outcomes of the WP1 workshop at the ExpeER annual meeting held at the Kubus, Leipzig, Germany 21-24 February 2012. The first part includes the documentation regarding workshop organization such as agenda, list of participants, and objectives and how the latter were met. Summaries of the main presentations and discussions are presented thereafter. Some of the main topics discussed concerned the questionnaires sent out to site managers to gather information on individual sites, and the radial graphs generated with the help of these questionnaires; but also possible fields and topics for cooperation between different sites were discussed. The report concludes with a list of necessary future actions for WP1 that emerged in the course of the workshop: (i) questionnaires need to be revised and changed to allow a more accurate characterization of individual sites, (ii) fact sheets, published on the ExpeER website, need to be modified accordingly; (iii) radial diagrams have to be adjusted. This report forms the basis for outlining the roadmap described in T1.3.
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D1.3: A roadmap for european ecosystem research infrastructure
The ExpeER research network includes four types of research infrastructure distributed across 33 facilities within 13 European countries. These include both Highly Instrumented Experimental and Observational Sites (HIES & HIOS, 29), Analytical Facilities (2) and Ecotrons (2), which provide state of the art analytical equipment and controlled environment facilities for ecosystem research. In an earlier report, the extent of the research capability at each site was evaluated using a questionnaire concerning information on the ecosystems under study, the main research disciplines employed (e.g. meteorology, biogeochemistry, hydrology, atmospheric chemistry etc.), and the technical services available at 29 of the 33 facilities. During the ExpeER WP1 workshop held in Leipzig from February 21-24, 2012 it was decided to modify the site questionnaire in order to obtain more detailed information from site managers, which could be used to help identify areas for development as part of a future roadmap. An analysis of the information provided by 30 of the 33 initial sites is presented in the revised deliverable D1.1 together with the new radial diagrams generated from the additional information obtained. A detailed examination of the site details indicated that many sites have good technical services and conduct a broad range of meteorological and soil measurements, but many were lacking in laboratory space for collaborative work. There was clear scope to enhance the capacity of most sites with respect to the extent of the experimental manipulations studied in their work and to increase the range of measurements within studies on hydrology, local atmosphere and biodiversity. There also appeared to be a bias in favour of studies on autotrophic organisms (mostly plants) compared with heterotrophic communities. Two principle approaches are proposed to facilitate improvements in the scientific capacities of the sites and enhance future collaborations. Firstly, general improvements could be facilitated by national investment in facilities and expertise within all ExpeER sites to enhance the capacities as identified above. Alternatively, sites with a similar scientific focus (e.g. biodiversity, hydrology, local atmosphere etc.) could be identified as sub-groups within ExpeER to encourage future collaborative work within their areas of expertise. National resources could then be targeted in these areas to increase the extent and quality of future collaborations. Such collaborations could be further enhanced by EU thematic research programmes designed to support research within these areas. The provision of more laboratory space was identified as a general requirement for most sites. Consequently, this is an important priority to address if ExpeER is to enhance international scientific collaboration and create synergies that can help achieve its vision of an integrated European research infrastructure. General improvements could be facilitated by national or European investment in facilities and expertise within all ExpeER sites to enhance their scientific capacities. Alternatively, sub-groups with similar areas of expertise (e.g. biodiversity, hydrology, local atmosphere etc) within ExpeER could develop future collaborative work within these areas. An important priority for ExpeER to address to enhance international scientific collaboration and create synergies that can help achieve its vision of an integrated European research infrastructure. Ecotrons should provide a facility at such an advanced level, but they cannot exist in every country. The total capacity however might require similar features of some of these ecotrons. New and existing ecotrons should be complimentary. Improved systems for effective sharing of data to ensure availability, consistency of data including data format, and incentives for making sure new data are included in sharing systems. Incentives for continuous technological upgrade of selected facilities. Coordinated funding mechanisms between EU and individual nations. Funding and administrative mechanisms which promote international collaboration at the distributed research infrastructure.
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D1.4: Assessment report on research added value of ExpeER infrastructure assessment report on research added value of ExpeER infrastructure
This report evaluates the research added value generated in the ExpeER-project, reviews the key research and policy needs for European wide ecosystem research facilities and assess the final situation of the project on the ExpeER roadmap (ExpeER deliverable 1.3).
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D2.1: Final report on parameters and standardised protocols, for external dissemination
The adoption of a set of core parameters and standardised measurement protocols for ecosystem research is a prerequisite for harmonized measurements in every discipline. Here we describe the process by which ExpeER selected which protocols should be used for the project’s training and dissemination programme.
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D2.2: Report on the outcomes of the two training sessions for disseminating ExpeER protocols
The adoption of a set of core parameters and standardised measurement protocols for ecosystem research is a prerequisite for harmonized measurements in every discipline. Here we describe how the standardized protocols that were developed by WP2 earlier in this project were trained to external (non-ExpeER) participants in two training weeks in Rome and Amsterdam in respectively May and August 2013. Further we evaluate these training weeks and give recommendations for further actions.
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D2.3: Drafting of final ExpeER protocols for dissemination
The adoption of a set of core parameters and standardised measurement protocols for ecosystem research is a prerequisite for harmonized measurements and the ability to readily integrate data into models. Within ExpeER, a set of parameters has been chosen for standardisation, and protocols have been developed using an iterative process involving three training courses. The full set of protocols is published in this deliverable.
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D3.1: ExpeER data policy and guidelines
What is requested from the ExpeER partners (please find out who is suitable for this task within your institution): Please take a closer look at chapter 5 "PROPOSAL FOR EXPEER DATA SHARING POLICY" and chapter 9 "EXAMPLES. DATA SHARING POLICY". Actually chapter 5 is mainly based on the data policy developed for TERENO which could be used as a backbone for the ExpeER data policy. We are aware that there are many examples for data sharing policies covering a lot of similar topics. Some of them are collected in chapter 9. We think we should go for a synthesis according to the ExpeER needs which will not result in something very new and unique, as we always need to take care to keep the balance between regulation and freedom. In the end this has to be accepted by all ExpeER partners! Having this in mind you are invited to check which points should be changed / implemented from other data policies (see annex) to the current proposed backbone. Please send your feedback to Nic Bertrand and Mark Frenzel until 17 May at latest.
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D3.2: ExpeER metadata standard for dataset level
This document describes the community ExpeER / LTER – Europe metadata profile for the data set for the European Long-Term Ecosystem Research and ANAEE Networks within the scope of the ExpeER and EnvEurope projects based on EML (Ecological Metadata Language) specification. Moreover a detail description of metadata crosswalk between EML specification and ISO19115 standard is included together with metadata examples, transformation file and validation report.
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D3.3: Thesaurus for semantic interoperability of existing systems
The provision of common semantics for the description of datasets and their contents within a network of distributed data sources is a crucial service to any research infrastructure and network. Within the ExpeER project existing domain efforts were continued building a thesaurus for the ecosystem observation and experimentation community. The report provides a description of the underlying challenges, the main components and structure of the thesaurus, the links to other semantic sources, the governance for the development and the use of the controlled vocabulary within ExpeER and beyond.
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D3.4: Geoportal AS CSW service
The Geoportal developed in ExpeER provides a CSW-service for Metadata in INSPIRE compatible ISO19115 format.
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D3.6: ISO19115/INSPIRE to EML Transformation XSLT Script
The XSLT script for transformation INSPIRE XML files (ISO19115/ISO19139) to EML files was created by SYKE.
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D3.5: OpenLayers interface
The report describes the development of a pilot map interface (using OpenLayers technology) to view spatial datasets (provided as WMS) within DEIMS Research site and Dataset registry portal. The development has been integrated into a metadata development portal (D3.4).
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D4.1: Overview and update of relevant networks
The report gives an overview of the strategic environment of ExpeER categorizing networks and projects according to their basic intention and providing relevant information.
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D4.3: Options for permanent funding
Individual local research sites have been and will continue to be funded primarily by local and national funds. However belonging to European recognized distributed infrastructures facilitates getting these local/national funds. Large efforts have then been deployed to successfully set-up distributed pan-European infrastructures both for experimental sites (AnaEE) and for observational sites (eLTER).
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D4.4: Final report on in-situ network integration and proposed ExpeER future strategy
ExpeER has catalysed the development and formalization of both approaches at the European scale and contributed to integration efforts. The coupling between the experimental and comparative approach was facilitated by the further development of commonly relevant standards and services in the field of standardization and harmonization of parameters and methods, information management, field methods and ecosystem modelling. This common ground reduces the risk of fragmentation and dispersion of the continental ecosystem research community, specifically also in interaction of ExpeER´s building blocks with related research infrastructures.
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D7.1: Report on testing of wireless sensor networks and cosmic ray probes for field scale soil moisture assessment
This report describes the potential of cosmic ray probes for the assessment of soil moisture at the field scale.
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D7.2: Techniques to be pursued for specific soil and ecosystem process analysis
This report presents technical improvements in terms of sample preparation for applying nanoSIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) approaches to the study of soil aggregation by specific organic matter components.
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D7.3: New techniques to use hyperspectral remote sensing for studying ecosystem processes
This report evaluates the ability of reflectance spectroscopy to detect changes in 14 soil physical, biological, and chemical properties and their derived Soil Quality Index (SQI) across the transformed land uses and develops a Spectral Soil Quality Index (SSQI) toward applying the technique of reflectance spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool of soil quality.
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D7.4: Evaluation report on the use of multiple technologies to observe soil moisture and water fluxes
This report summarizes the results of a combined field site test of wireless soil moisture sensing and mobile electromagnetic induction measurements to describe states and transition dynamics of soil moisture at the field scale.
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D8.1: Report on weaknesses and limitations in current techniques/approaches to study ecosystems in future
This report describes shortcomings in current experimental exposure systems to study climate change impacts, and limitations of designs used in ecosystem functioning and biodiversity research.
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D8.2: Report on algorithms for improved emulation of field climate environments and on design of new types of experiments
Major artefacts in climate warming systems have been identified, and pilots for climate control algorithms for ecotrons, soil monoliths and infrared heating have been devised and are running in a modelled environment and/or in situ. CO2 enrichment systems are being upgraded by developing new control algorithms that are being tested on a dedicated control unit. The concepts behind the use of model ecosystems and the repeatability/reproducibility of experiments have been developed and experiments have been designed and will be run in 2014. One paper that review challenges, pitfalls and opportunities in studies that manipulate climate and/or plant communities has been submitted and a second paper on biotic interactions and feed-back effects in manipulative experiments in ecology is being prepared. A protocol for testing the relevance of model ecosystems in ecology and determining an optimum level of standardisation as well as two protocols for novel approaches in biodiversity research have been tested in pilot experiments. Further testing is planned for 2014.
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D8.3: Report on performance tests of pilots
This report provides the performance test results of pilot experiments in which (a) improved algorithms and systems for climate simulation are applied, (b) alternative designs for studying biodiversity-vulnerability relationships under environmental change are used.
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D8.4: Guide to final optimized designs, hypothesis testing, and publication
This manual presents final, tested solutions for improved environmental control techniques (warming and CO2 enrichment, in natura and in vitro) in terms of realism of simulated atmospheric scenarios and cost. It also presents final and tested new experimental approaches for ecosystem functioning research and for studying biodiversity under environmental change.
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D9.1: Library of currently available ecosystem parameters
The report summarises the strategy and work to provide a parameter guidelines and database for setting up models to be applied at the ExpeER sites.
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D9.2: Assessment/review of model strengthens and weaknesses
The report summarises the work to provide Biogeochemical models potentially applicable at the EXPEER sites will be identified and evaluated with respect to strengths and weaknesses for modelling specific ecosystems, key ecosystem compartments as well as key drivers of change (e.g. climate and land use change). Also the ability to model vegetation change will be evaluated.
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D9.3: Preliminary model workspace and training workshop
A preliminary modelling workspace (the “Modelling Toolbox”) was developed for ExpeER site owners and users and includes enhanced ecosystem models representing hydrological, biogeochemical and dynamic vegetation components and evaluation tools to provide scientific testing of hypotheses and extrapolation of results from the experiments (completed Month 40). The use of the workspace was demonstrated through involvement of site researchers and users at a workshop training course in September, 2014, presented at the ExpeER International Conference in Paris (completed Month 46).
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D10.1: Report on tested species density and functional diversity upscaling methods
While it is assumed that ecosystem function and biodiversity are related, evidence is hard to find. Here, two sets of studies were undertaken. The first related high plant species richness from scales of 0.01m2 to catchment to soil moisture, as inferred from measurements of a network of fixed sensors; early indications in scale-dependent relationships between these two variables needs further analysis. The second investigated relationships between phenology and greening of beech forests to environmental drivers at scales of km2 and above using wavelet analysis, and showed that the greatest influence of particular drivers were seen at particular scales. This kind of study remains difficult, because both biodiversity and ecosystem processes must be measured across the same scales in the same areas, which is very rarely achieved with current technologies. Ecosystem researchers should look to include new technologies, including drones, to provide observational data between the scales of point and small area measurements and data derived from satellites.
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D10.2: Report on upscaling frameworks and support for the infrastructure and model users
This research describes different upscaling frameworks of local measurements made by ecosystem infrastructure (such as water and carbon fluxes), to larger scales like catchments or continents. Principles of the methods are first presented and practical implementation for two cases are then detailed: upscaling of water budget for a catchment area and upscaling of carbon fluxes and stocks at continental scales.
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D10.3: Report on upscaling methods for biogeochemical and ecological processes
This research focused on upscaling of local measurements made by ecosystem infrastructure, like for example net ecosystem exchange, to larger scales like catchments and even continents. Results show that with help of data assimilation techniques an upscaling can be made by estimating ecosystem parameters which are typical for a specific plant functional type. Measurements made by ecosystem infrastructure allow better estimates of ecosystem parameters and are therefore able to improve estimates of net water and carbon fluxes between the land and the atmosphere for larger areas.
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D10.4: Report on suggested improvements to the monitoring design
This report provides a brief set of recommendations, from a modeling point of view, on the monitoring of ecosystem biogeochemical and hydrological cycles and biodiversity, including the need to push for recent measurement techniques (water, carbon fluxes/stocks), for comprehensive measurements including all components of a system and for more global data-bases.
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