Long-term watershed research and monitoring to understand ecosystem change in parks and equivalent reserves

摘要: : Integrated watershed ecosystem studies in National Parks or equivalent reserves suggest that effects of external processes on “protected” resources are subtle, chronic, and long-term. Ten years data from Park watersheds suggests temperature precipitation changes linked to nitrogen levels lakes streams. We envision measurable biotic these remote watersheds, if expected climate trends continue. The condition natural within areas set aside for preservation difficult ascertain, but gaining this knowledge is the key understanding change operating among abiotic components. There increasing evidence magnitude variation between such can provide an early indication environmental attributable human-induced stress. following four papers case how concept has been implemented.* These long-term have expanded our response existence sites with a commitment gathering “long-term” ecosystem-level permits research activities aimed at testing more important hypotheses structure.