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| Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network | |
|---|---|
| Name | Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network |
| Abbreviation | LTAR |
| Formation | 2010 |
| Type | Research network |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Parent organization | United States Department of Agriculture |
Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network is a United States research consortium that coordinates multi-decadal field studies on agriculture, land use, and environmental change across diverse regions. The network links federal agencies, United States Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, and academic institutions such as Iowa State University, University of California, Davis, and Cornell University to provide interoperable data and long-term observations. It supports policy-relevant science used by stakeholders including United States Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, and regional partners like Texas A&M University and Oregon State University.
The network integrates site-based research across agroecosystems with collaborations among United States Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, United States Geological Survey, and land-grant universities such as Kansas State University, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Florida. Its mission aligns with federal directives from the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 and scientific strategies articulated by National Research Council (United States), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and programs at Smithsonian Institution. Core activities interface with extension services like Cooperative Extension Service and research consortia including Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The initiative was established in the context of investments by United States Department of Agriculture, guided by advisory input from panels convened by National Science Foundation, National Research Council, and stakeholder workshops hosted by Rutgers University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and Michigan State University. Early pilot sites drew on legacy experiments at institutions like Iowa State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Washington State University, and programs coordinated with Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Over time, governance incorporated representatives from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Forest Service, and regional organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and Sierra Club chapters.
The network comprises regional observatories co-located at experimental farms, long-term ecological research stations, and cooperative extension centers affiliated with University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of California, Berkeley, Colorado State University, and New Mexico State University. Site management often includes partnerships with federal labs like Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory and agreements with state agencies such as California Department of Food and Agriculture and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Geographic coverage spans agroecosystems from the Great Plains and Corn Belt to the Mediterranean California and Southeast United States, integrating experiments at locations linked to Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Konza Prairie Biological Station, and other long-term platforms.
Research themes address agroecosystem productivity, resilience, greenhouse gas fluxes, nutrient cycling, water quality, and biodiversity, intersecting with programs at National Center for Atmospheric Research, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and USDA Agricultural Research Service. Projects examine interactions among crop rotation trials at Iowa State University, grazing systems studied at Montana State University, precision agriculture trials at Purdue University, and conservation practices promoted by Natural Resources Conservation Service and The Nature Conservancy. Theme integration leverages modeling efforts from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, decision-support tools developed with University of California, Davis, and socioecological studies tied to Cornell University and University of Kentucky.
Data stewardship follows standards influenced by National Science Foundation policies, data repositories such as Dryad (repository), and metadata practices promoted by Digital Commons Network. The network contributes datasets to platforms like DataONE, publishes findings in journals including Nature, Science (journal), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, and collaborates on synthesis reports with U.S. Global Change Research Program. Data management partnerships include Oak Ridge National Laboratory and university libraries at University of Michigan and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Primary funding sources include United States Department of Agriculture, cooperative agreements with National Science Foundation, and grants from foundations such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for specific programs; collaborations involve Land Grant University System, Agricultural Research Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and non-governmental partners like The Nature Conservancy. International liaisons have been established with institutions such as International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and CIMMYT, and multiagency coordination includes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and United States Geological Survey.
Findings inform policy and practice for stakeholders including United States Department of Agriculture, state departments like California Department of Food and Agriculture, commodity organizations, and conservation NGOs such as Sierra Club and National Wildlife Federation. Outcomes have influenced conservation tillage adoption, nutrient management guidelines co-developed with Natural Resources Conservation Service, and climate adaptation planning referenced by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports and integrated into extension curricula at Pennsylvania State University and University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The network's long-term data support modeling efforts used by National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Center for Atmospheric Research, and regional planners in agencies such as Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Category:United States research networks