A Century of Ecosystem Science: Planning Long-Term Research in the Gulf of AlaskaThis report provides guidance to the Gulf Ecosystem Monitoring (GEM) program to help ensure that it is based on a a science plan that is robust, far-reaching, and scientifically sound. The report commends the Trustee Council for its foresight in setting aside funds to create a trust fund to provide long-term research support; it notes that the GEM program offers an unparalleled opportunity to increase understanding of how large marine ecosystems function and change over time. The report outlines elements of a sound long-term science plan, including conceptual foundation, scope and geographic focus, organizational structure, community involvement, data and information management, and synthesis, modeling, and evaluation. |
Contents
Executive Summary | 1 |
1 Planning LongTerm Ecosystem Science | 17 |
2 The Importance of a Conceptual Foundation | 31 |
3 Determining Scope and Geographic Focus | 37 |
4 Organizational Structure | 52 |
5 Community Involvement and Traditional Knowledge | 59 |
6 Data and Information Management | 66 |
7 Synthesis Modeling and Evaluation | 69 |
8 Conclusions and Recommendations | 75 |
| 84 | |
A Biosketches of the Committees Members | 89 |
B Acronyms | 93 |
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Common terms and phrases
activities Alaska ecosystem archiving biological chief scientist climate community involvement component conceptual foundation data management decades develop draft science plan ecological ecosys ecosystem function effort ensure environmental evaluation EVOSTC Exxon Valdez oil fish Fisheries funding GEM plan GEM planners GEM program GEM science plan GEM’s geographic focus geographic scope goals gram Gulf of Alaska habitats hypotheses implementation incorporate interactions involvement and traditional long-term measurements long-term monitoring long-term research marine ecosystems ment mission monitoring program munity National Academy needs Ocean ocean climate oceanographic organizational structure Pacific Decadal Oscillation phytoplankton Polar Research Board Prince William Sound proposal solicitation questions Recommendation relevant require research and monitoring research plan research program resource management role scales science program Scientific and Technical selected shelf specific stakeholders studies subcommittee successful synthesis and modeling Technical Advisory Committee tion traditional knowledge Trustee Council understanding University Valdez oil spill Weisberg