The Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) network is a coordinated experimental network with sites across the United States. The collaborations across different sites and ecosystems allow researchers to examine commonalities and trends at larger spatial and temporal scales.
One area of research interest is ecological connectivity. Connectivity across space and time has an impact on ecosystem structure, function, and dynamics. Investigating how connectivity has and is affecting these different ecosystems is important to understand in the context of land use and climate change.
Iwaniec, D.M., Gooseff, M., Suding, K.N., Samuel Johnson, D., Reed, D.C., Peters, D.P., et al. 2021. Connectivity: insights from the US Long Term Ecological Research Network. Ecosphere 12(5): e03432.
A recent synthesis paper highlights the LTER network and how 6 case studies illustrate the scope of connectivity research within it. The LTER sites involved are Central Arizona – Phoenix LTER, Jornada Basin LTER, McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER, Niwot Ridge LTER, Plum Island Ecosystems LTER, and Santa Barbara Coastal LTER. These sites each represent a different biome and examine different aspects of connectivity.
At Central Arizona – Phoenix LTER, one of the two urban ecosystem LTER sites, research has explored future connectivity between urban social and ecological systems. Social and environmental leaders from across the region came together to come up with 6 scenarios to answer the question of how the region can adapt by 2060 to extreme heat, drought, and flooding due to climate change. One scenario suggests using flood plains and parks to increase hydrologic connectivity in order to combat urban flooding.
The research conducted at McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER (Antarctica) has examined connectivity between glaciers, streams, and lakes. One finding was that surface energy input (solar radiation) enhances physical connectivity by leading to more snow and ice melt, which increases stream flow.
Niwot Ridge LTER (Colorado) has worked to predict the impacts of climate exposure on alpine lakes, tundra vegetation, and pikas (an important herbivorous mammal), all of which are affected by the connectivity of resources and organisms.
Jornada Basin LTER (New Mexico) has looked into connectivity by wind and water. The site is experiencing nutrient loss through wind and water erosion, which has a negative impact on the dynamics of the surrounding ecosystem.
Plum Island Ecosystems LTER (Massachusetts) has investigated how species range shifts will impact the connectivity of ecosystems. Many species are expanding past their historical ranges and will have an impact on ecosystem functioning, with those impacts increasing as the populations grow. A key finding is that the flow of organisms between ecosystems will play a role in connectivity and its effect on ecosystem functioning.
Researchers at Santa Barbara Coastal LTER have studied the relationship between connectivity and productivity. They found that dispersal from neighboring populations is needed to maintain populations after disturbances, illustrating the importance of connectivity if disturbances become altered as a result of climate change. This work reiterates the importance of several levels of connectivity like seasonal connectivity, nutrient subsidies, and dispersal from adjacent systems.
This paper provides clear evidence of the importance of considering multiple aspects of connectivity as it can sustain the necessary structure and function of ecosystems. However, there are also downsides to increasing connectivity due to warming, such as species range expansions and introduction of undesirable species. Continued long term studies are needed to fully understand the complexities of connectivity across ecosystems.
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