Grand challenges for research in the Laurentian Great Lakes

摘要: The Laurentian Great Lakes (LGL) constitute one of the largest freshwater systems in world while providing social and economic value to two powerful nations. spatial scale these inland seas falls between endpoints: small lakes oceans. Lacustrine many characteristics, LGL often require a scientific approach with attributes similar those oceanography. There is strong sense that within support for research has not kept pace need process-oriented we lack basic information needed forecast change, mitigate impacts restore preserve LGL. Consequently, 58 researchers met September 2014 identified five “Grand Challenges Research LGL”: (1) How this vast system responded shifting climate past, how will it respond future? (2) What current status most important ecosystem processes, including their variability space time? (3) processes are characteristic only large lakes, do distinct habitats integrate into whole? (4) responses major anthropogenic forces such as nutrients invasive species, reversible? (5) large-scale linkages feedbacks among societal decisions, biological systems, physicochemical dynamics? An urgent exists unified voice articulates Grand associated funding. This treatise describing develops voice.