The 3rd Open Science Meeting of the International Long-Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) was grandly inaugurated at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) on October 15. It brought together over 200 experts and scholars from the field of long-term ecosystem research from 19 countries, to promote scientific exchange and community engagement within and beyond the ILTER network on global scale.
Academician Yu Guirui, Prof. Zhang Jiaolin, Dr. Tiffany Troxler, and Prof. Yang Yongping delivered opening speeches respectivesly. Yu Guirui gave an overview of China Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) and its historical ties with the ILTER. He encouraged the new generation of ecologists to take on the responsibilities and join forces to promote development of the global ecological network. Dr.Tiffany Troxler, chair of ILTER, said that the third Open Science Meeting will play a significant role in promoting the development of international long-term ecological research.
Several globally renowned ecologists delivered insightful presentations. Academician Fu Bojie,Dr. Michael Mirtl, and Prof. Melinda D. Smith, among others, discussed topics such as social-ecological system and sustainability, technological innovation, and progress in ecosystem monitoring. They explored the application of ecological research network science to societal environmental issues, as well as the role of new technology development and infrastructure in ecosystem and biodiversity research.
During the four-day conference, participants will present over 90 cutting-edge research reports on four thematic areas, including sensitivity, mechanisms and adaptation of biodiversity and ecosystem functions to global change; environmental pollution, ecosystem restoration and management; new technologies and infrastructures for ecosystem research and biodiversity.
At the special sessions, presentations will cover a wide range of topics including climate change and ecosystem responses, ecosystem carbon water cycle and carbon neutrality, participatory social-ecological system research methods, knowledge sharing and future development strategies, ecosystem services, biological interactions and paleoenvironment, etc.
The International Long-Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) is a global scientific research network aimed at promoting long-term ecological research and providing a scientific basis for ecology, environmental management, and sustainable development. It was established in the United States in 1993.
The China Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) is one of the founding member networks of the ILTER, with 44 ecological stations, 5 sub-centers, 1 data center, and 1 comprehensive center, affiliated with 23 research institutes, and has 1760 scientific research and technical support personnel working on the CERN platform. Among them, the 44 ecological stations are located in different ecological zones in China, covering farmland, forest, grassland and desert, wetland, and urban ecosystem types, carrying out observations and long-term ecological research on biological, hydrological, soil, meteorological and other ecological elements.
Participants pose a group photo.
Academician Yu Guirui delivers an opening speech.
Prof. Zhang Jiaolin, vice president of CAS Kunming Branch, delivers welcome speech.
Dr.Tiffany Troxler, chair of ILTER, delivers opening speech.
Academician Fu Bojie from CAS Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences makes plenary presentation.
Dr. Michael Mirtl, director of the eLTER Head Office, makes plenary presentation.
Prof. Melinda D. Smith from Colorado State University makes plenary presentation.
