MSA: Macrosystems Biology and Early NEON Science Investigator Meeting; May 15-17, 2019; Boulder, CO

University Of Notre Dame, Notre Dame IN

Investigators

Abstract

The biosphere has changed more in the past 50 years than during any time in human history. Environmental change, land use change, and the introduction of invasive species that collectively affect living systems by altering the fundamental relationships between life and the non-living environment that sustains it. Many of the changes challenge our understanding of how the biosphere works - how the ecological systems on which we depend will respond to changes in environment, land use, biodiversity, and a host of related environmental factors. Research in Macrosystems Biology is developing basic scientific knowledge needed to understand the biosphere at regional to continental and annual to decadal scales, to quantify the strong and weak forces regulating the biosphere, and to predict the consequences of environmental and land use change and invasive species on living systems is difficult to extrapolate from studies conducted at local or global scales. Macrosystems ecology seeks to understand ecological processes and interactions at the broadest scales and has potential to help solve globally important social and ecological challenges. Critical advances in this field are shared through publications, presentations, and synthesis activities such as workshops and symposia. This meeting will broaden impacts through professional development and engagement of a diverse pool of scientists, collaboration and synthesis of active researchers, and by generating new ideas and synthetic research products. A substantial proportion of funding for this meeting is specifically allocated to support early career scientists. This conference award will support a meeting of Macrosystems Biology and NEON-Enabled Science investigators, postdoctoral scientists, and graduate students. Substantial investments in Macrosystems Biology research and education are generating new insights into pattern and process at Macro-scales. The meeting will advance Macrosystems Biology and NEON-Enabled Science by: 1) Fostering collaboration and synthesis among scientists and graduate students across funded Macrosystems Biology projects; 2) Facilitating networking and professional development of attendees, especially early career scientists; 3) Identifying relationships and synergies among MSB and the NSF-funded National Ecological Observatory Network and the National Center for Atmospheric Research; and 4) Developing a white paper that outlines the major challenges and opportunities for NEON-enabled science in the near future. Discussion of common and contrasting research themes will yield insights to generate new Macrosystems Biology theory and best-practices for critical advancements in the emerging discipline of Macrosystems Biology. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.