Award Abstract # 2224545
LTER: Long Term Ecological Research at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest
NSF Org: |
DEB
Division Of Environmental Biology
|
Recipient: |
CARY INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES, INC
|
Initial Amendment Date:
|
February 15, 2023 |
Latest Amendment Date:
|
June 23, 2025 |
Award Number: |
2224545 |
Award Instrument: |
Continuing Grant |
Program Manager: |
Betsy Von Holle
mvonholl@nsf.gov
(703)292-4974
DEB
Division Of Environmental Biology
BIO
Directorate for Biological Sciences
|
Start Date: |
March 1, 2023 |
End Date: |
February 28, 2029 (Estimated) |
Total Intended Award
Amount: |
$7,650,000.00 |
Total Awarded Amount to
Date: |
$3,824,999.00 |
Funds Obligated to Date:
|
FY 2023 = $1,275,000.00
FY 2024 = $1,275,000.00
FY 2025 = $1,274,999.00
|
History of Investigator:
|
-
Peter
Groffman
(Principal Investigator)
pgroffman@gc.cuny.edu
-
Matthew
Ayres
(Co-Principal Investigator)
-
Melany
Fisk
(Co-Principal Investigator)
-
Pamela
Templer
(Co-Principal Investigator)
-
Christine
Goodale
(Co-Principal Investigator)
|
Recipient Sponsored Research
Office: |
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Inc.
2801 SHARON TPKE
MILLBROOK
NY
US
12545-5721
(845)677-7600
|
Sponsor Congressional
District: |
18
|
Primary Place of
Performance: |
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Inc.
2801 SHARON TPKE
Millbrook
NY
US
12545-0129
|
Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
18
|
Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI): |
ZFCRKN45MMD6
|
Parent UEI: |
|
NSF Program(s): |
LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
|
Primary Program Source:
|
01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01002829DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01002728DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
|
Program Reference
Code(s): |
1195
|
Program Element Code(s):
|
119500
|
Award Agency Code: |
4900
|
Fund Agency Code: |
4900
|
Assistance Listing
Number(s): |
47.074
|
ABSTRACT

The need for long-term research on forest ecosystems has accelerated markedly in recent years. Traditional interests in provision of wood products and clean water have expanded to include climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and ecological and social resilience. Forests are complex ecosystems, dominated by long-lived organisms, and are highly connected to adjacent ecosystems at many scales. Long-term research at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest has focused on the ecology and management of hardwood forests, with a focus on understanding the role of disturbance in how forest ecosystems work. The research has continually evolved as unexpected observations emerge from long-term studies, raising questions that can only be addressed with continued long-term research. Recent surprises that will be explored in this latest phase of research are: 1) unexpected changes in the elevational distribution of some tree species that have surprisingly migrated downward instead of up-slope as would be expected in response to warming temperatures; (2) abrupt increases in water use by plants over the past 10 years, and (3) significant declines since the 1970s in some species of birds, salamanders, caterpillars, and beetles. The long-term nature of studies at Hubbard Brook has allowed researchers to build deep relationships with stakeholders. These relationships continue to grow, and researchers will increase participation of new participants to make the site's interaction with the community stronger.
The overarching research theme of this project is the long-term response of ecosystem structure, composition, and function to disturbance. The conceptual model underpinning the project envisions three principal types of disturbance acting as drivers of change in the ecosystem: changing atmospheric chemistry, changing climate, and changing biota. The effects of these drivers play out on a biogeophysical template that includes variation across the landscape in topography, geology, soils, vegetation, and history of past disturbance. Within the ecosystem, the disturbances affect the interacting processes of hydrology, biogeochemistry, vegetation, and food web dynamics. The conceptual model is evolving to focus on ?control points of change? in the landscape - specific places and times where significant changes will begin or accelerate. The research is integrated with broader impacts activities driven by four goals: (1) establish long-term, trusting relationships with community members and environmental decision-makers across the northern forest ecoregion; (2) recruit and train the next generation of ecosystem scientists and environmental leaders; and (3) drive innovations in research, education, and outreach. To achieve these goals, four approaches are planned: public and policy engagement programs, science education and training programs, an art-science program, development and maintenance of infrastructure for interactions with the community.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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(Showing: 1 - 38 of 38)
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