Ecology
TERN works closely with the two peak bodies for ecology and ecosystem research in Australia – The Ecological Society of Australia (ESA) and The Ecosystem Science Council (ESC). TERN also participates in the annual ESA conference, the main forum for advances in Australian Ecology, which is held at the end of November each year.
Long-Term Ecosystem Science (AusLTER)
Long-term researchers occupy a unique space in the research landscape, primarily due to the disconnect between the inherent level of time commitment—in research that can span a lifetime—and the increasing uncertainty of ongoing funding. This is despite the fact that almost everyone accepts the value and importance of long-term studies.
Feedback from the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) network indicates that Australia is leading the way in many areas of long-term research infrastructure provision and data capture. It also suggests that we share some of the challenges of ensuring national and global collaboration for site registration and use of data.
Australia currently has 26 long-term ecological research sites registered by the global peak body, the International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER), however, we know there are many more long-term ecological and agricultural research sites in Australia.
TERN, the Ecological Society of Australia (ESA) and the Ecosystem Science Council (ESC) are working together to provide the Australian long-term ecological research community (AusLTER) with a means to collaborate, meet and discuss strategies and structures that will position the community to work together locally, nationally and internationally.
TERN’s role as the national ecosystem observatory, and hence Australia’s lead on environmental research infrastructure initiatives, is to represent AusLTER on the Coordinating Committee of ILTER and continue to pay Australia’s annual membership fees to ILTER.
ESA is committed to facilitating a neutral, inclusive and safe space for this community of practice to determine a way forward and is consulting with the AusLTER community to identify their wishes and needs for support for an AusLTER community. Initially, ESA can provide a support structure through its Research Chapter framework.
TERN, ESA and ESC aim to reinvigorate AusLTER, one of the founders of ILTER. A stronger AusLTER, with one or more special interest groups, will enable Australian long-term ecosystem researchers to have an annual workshop and coordinate to seek collaboration opportunities internationally with other ILTER members.