Region: East Asia/Pacific

Long Term Ecological Research in China-Taipei

Yue-joe Hsia1 and Hen-biau King2
1. Institute of Nature Resources, National Dong-hwa University, Hualien,
Taiwan
2. Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei, Taiwan

The Taiwan Long-term Ecological Research Network (TERN) was established in 1992 with main sponsor ship from the Taiwan National Science Council (NSC) and cooperation with universities and the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute (TFRI). The network was launched with just one site, the Fu-shan long-term ecological study sites. Initially, the TFRI proposed to open its experimental site to all scientists interested in ecosystem studies when the Fu-shan Experimental Forest was established in 1990. The program was promoted as a LTER site with support from scientists from several universities and the NSC funded the Fu-shan LTER site in 1992. As the program met with great enthusiasm from ecologists in Taiwan, the NSC subsequently extended the TERN program to its current four sites (Fu-shan Forest, Guan-dau-shi Forest, Nan-jen-shan Forest/Lake, and Ta-ta-chia Forest). In additional to those NSC funded sites, the Yuan-yang Lake site has been funded by the Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica 1992.

   The TERN sites were chosen based on representative forest ecosystem, facilities, and compliance of land management agencies. The principal objective of the TERN program is to understand long-term ecological phenomena and processes within Taiwan’s dominant ecosystems. TERN’s major concern is to gather baseline data on the productivity, diversity, structure, and function/process of Taiwan’s major ecological systems. The program focuses on the long-term impacts of major disturbances (such as natural erosion, typhoon, monsoon, pollution and land use, etc.) at the research sites. The results of the long-term studies aid in understanding Taiwan’s ecosystems, and the subsequent construction of ecological models may eventually be used to predict and ameliorate environmental disturbances at local, regional, and global levels. This information will also provide the insight necessary for sustainable ecosystem management and sound policy development. More objectives that are specific include:

* Understanding processes and mechanisms of ecosystem dynamics;

* Studying the major natural and human disturbances which affect ecosystem dynamics and ecosystem responses;

* Identifying ecological processes to address environmental changes;

* Providing science-based information to decision makers in formulating environmental policy;

* Training young scientists in ecology and using the long-term sites as resources for education;

* Incorporating research results into ecology curriculums at all levels of education, particularly in the field of subtropical forest ecology;

* Sharing research ideas and base-line data with scientists from other ecological sites through meetings and international networking; and

* Promoting collaborative research projects with scientists from other ecological sites, particularly sites with similar ecological settings.

   Initially, the TERN was loosely formed through funding of individual research projects at each site. The research projects were mainly inventory type research in the first phase of TERN. Consensus on core research areas is gradually being built through discussion among multi-disciplinary scientists. Major effort has been put in establishment of data sharing and networking among the five sites. After a discussion in the first all-scientists’ meeting of TERN held in January of 2000, research focused on nutrient budgets, plant-animal interactions, and net primary production will be emphasized on all five sites. To facilitate standardized experimental methodology, research projects on cross-sites comparison of ecosystem processes and functions will be encouraged.

   The promotion of the LTER concept to some governmental organizations, media, and public through various means has been very successful. For instance, the TERN program was introduced to the public through many news media (such as magazines, newspapers, television and radio broadcasting programs). With the adoption of the concept of establishing long-term baseline databases for management decision-makings, by the National Park Department of the Construction and Planning Administration, the Ministry of Interior, additional LTER sites will be established in the National Park system. Currently, a coastal coral reef site at Keng-ting National Park and a river gorge site at the Taroko National Park are being planned.

            Participation in International LTER research activities is one of the objectives of TERN. For example, a small group of TERN scientists visited four forest CERN sites (Dinghushan, Heshan, Huitong and Xishuangbana) in May 1997. A tentative agreement was made to conduct further collaborative research projects and hold workshops. In May 1998, the US National Science Foundation hosted a group of Taiwan’s administrators and scientists visiting the H.J. Andrews forest LTER sites. In June 1998, fourteen scientists and students from US LTER sites had the opportunity to visit two TERN sites (Fu-shan sub-tropical and Nan-jen-shan tropical forests) and related research facilities. This trip reciprocated a visit in 1997 when eight students and junior scientists from TERN sites visited H.J. Andrews LTER site in the US. Another group of TERN students again visited the H.J. Andrews LTER site in the spring of the 2000. A workshop on the “Typhoon and Hurricane disturbances on forest Dynamics” was held in September 1999 between representatives of US Luquillo LTER site and TERN sites.