Region: Latin America
Gerardo
Ceballos, Manuel Maass, Miguel Equihua, Armando Equihua, Rodrigo Medellín,
Lucina Hernández, Enrique Jardel, and Ricardo Ayala
The
participation by Mexico in the International Long-term Ecological Research
Network is very important for several reasons. Mexico supports high levels of
species and ecosystem diversity, representing a major fraction of the earth's
biota (McNeely et al., 1989). It is imperative that the country understands and
protects this heritage, because the combination of extended rural poverty, low
technical support, distorted development patterns, socioeconomic disparity, and
high population growth, have led to accelerated processes of environmental
degradation and resource depletion (Challenger, 1998; INE, 1995). Additionally,
Mexico is affected by ecological processes that operate at continental scales,
such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation, that occur infrequently and can only
be understood through large-scale collaborative efforts. Finally, the proximity
of Mexico to a well-established network of long-term studies creates the
opportunity for scientific cooperation and development of human resources.
In order to implement the proposed Mexican
LTER (MEXLTER) we have organized a committee to structure the network (Ceballos
et al., 1998). Presently, the committee has finished the proposal and is
working with the government to define long-term funding mechanisms.
The objectives of the MEXLTER are the
following ones:
1. Establishment of a network of sites to
allow Mexican scientists to address in an interdisciplinary way ecological
issues on broad spatial and temporal scales. A corollary is to understand the
role of biological diversity in ecosystem processes and in the provision of
services to the biosphere, including humans.
2. The creation of a legacy of
well-designed and documented experiments and observations for future
generations of society.
At present we are in the process of
formally establishing the MEXLTER working in an agreement with the National
Council of Science and Technology to obtain the funding for setting the network
office and the initial network sites.
Network
Management
The implementation of the LTER program in
Mexico will require a coordinating mechanism that provides support for the establishment
and funding of the research sites. The
achievement of the common goals of the network will require centralization of
certain processes such as training, network communication, and planning of
meetings. In addition, by centralizing
other elements such as acquisition of equipment and software, we anticipate
improving efficiency and reducing cost.
The basic structure for the coordination and operation of the Network
consists of an Executive Committee, an Advisory Board, a Network Coordinator
and a Coordinator for each Site. Management of the LTER Network will be by an
Executive Group with representatives of each of the participating sites.
To insure the success of development and
implementation of the MEXLTER network several standards will be followed. The complexity of present-day environmental
processes and problems, and the philosophy of the MEXLTER network to conduct
ecological research on these issues, requires that all participating sites must
use similar state of the art conceptual and technical tools, such as
networking, data base management, geographic information systems, and modeling.
Partnerships
MEXLTER will work cooperatively with the
National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT), the National Commission
on Biodiversity (CONABIO), and the Secretary of the Environment, Natural
Resources and Fisheries (SEMARNAP). Other partnerships will be developed with
other government, academic institutions, and NGO's.
Collaboration of MEXLTER with the regional
networks will be accomplished through regular regional conferences. Presently,
the MEXLTER is actively involved with both the North American and Latin
American regional networks. Collaboration with the global network will be
through Internet and specific meetings.
Research
Seven core subjects, that address the most
relevant functional and structural features of ecosystems, and the most
pressing environmental issues for human welfare, will define the basic
theoretical framework for the research carried out at the MEXLTER sites. The
core areas are: 1) Patterns and control of ecosystem primary productivity; (2)
Patterns and control of water, carbon and nutrients dynamics in ecosystems; (3)
The role of biodiversity in the structure and functioning of ecosystem; (4)
Patterns and frequency of ecosystem disturbance; (5) Effect of climate change
on the structure and functioning of ecosystems; (6) Interactions at the
interface level between managed and natural ecosystems; (7) Defining criteria
for ecosystem management and conservation.
The MEXLTER program has been designed to
encompass terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including managed ones. At a
national level should allow comparisons within and across biomes. At an
international level, it should make possible comparison within and across
biomes in different geographical areas. Therefore, the network should have
representation of the major biomes within the country.
All sites will be subject to continuous
performance evaluation carried independently by peer reviewing. The minimum criteria for a site to be
eligible for the Mexican LTER are: 1) critical scientific mass, 2) commitment
to sharing of the resulting data and its long-term management, 3) participation
of a Higher Level Institution, and evidence of its commitment, 4) institutional
longevity or security of site for the future, 6) adequate infrastructure and
logistics, and 7) existing knowledge base (availability of long-term
databases).
The sites currently included in the
MEXLTER network are protected areas where academic institutions have worked
with a long-term commitment for research and conservation. These sites include
tropical rain and dry forests, subtropical mountain forests, desert scrub
lands, and coastal ecosystems (Blanco et al., 1982; Ceballos et al., 1999; Halffter,
1981; Jardel et al., 1996).
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge our friends
Rodolfo Dirzo, Herberto Ferreira, Andrés García, Marco Lazcano, Felipe Noguera,
Jesús Pacheco, and Heliot Zarza for the input to the MEXLTER project.