Environmental myopia: a diagnosis and a remedy.
Long-term ecological observation affords a picture of the past that uniquely informs our understanding of present and future ecological communities and processes. Without a long-term perspective, our vision is prone to environmental myopia. Long-term experiments (LTEs) in particular can reveal the mechanisms that underlie change in communities and ecosystem functioning in a way that cannot be understood by long-term monitoring alone. Despite the urgent need to know more about how climate change will affect ecosystems and their functioning, the continued existence of LTEs is extremely precarious and we believe that dedicated funds are needed to support them. A new non-profit organization called the Ecological Continuity Trust seeks to provide a solution to this problem by establishing an endowment that will be specifically earmarked to sustain LTEs as a scientific tool for the benefit of future generations.
Silvertown
Jonathan
J
Department of Life Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.
Tallowin
Jerry
J
Stevens
Carly
C
Power
Sally A
SA
Morgan
Vicky
V
Emmett
Bridget
B
Hester
Alison
A
Grime
Philip J
PJ
Morecroft
Michael
M
Buxton
Robin
R
Poulton
Paul
P
Jinks
Richard
R
Bardgett
Richard
R
D000818:Animals; D057231:Climate Change; D004463:Ecology / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D012107:Research Design; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom