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Poster Number:
283
Presenter/Primary Author:
Ola Langvall SITES is a national coordinated infrastructure for terrestrial and limnological field research. It contributes to the strengthening of Swedish research based on measurements and experiments conducted in the field. The infrastructure is available for all researchers on equal terms, regardless of affiliation.
SITES consists of nine research stations, from north to south:
- Abisko Scientific Research Station (lat 68º21’N), terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems
- Tarfala Research Station, (67°55’N), glacier and alpine ecosystems
- Svartberget Research Station, (64°15’N), boreal forest ecology and management
- Röbäcksdalen Research Station (63°49’N), agricultural ecology
- Grimsö Research Station (59°44’N), wildlife ecology
- Erken Laboratory (59°50’N), limnological ecology
- Asa Research Station (57°10’N), hemi-boreal forest ecology and management
- Skogaryd Research Station (58°22’N), hemi-boreal forest ecology
- Lönnstorp Research Station (55°40’N), agricultural ecology
SITES is an integrated, well-functioning national infrastructure with high levels of communication between field stations. There are regular meetings with field station coordinators and the managers. Additionally, staff meetings with representation from all SITES stations are held, so as to share information on service levels, common standards, cooperation on technological excellence, etc.
SITES offers all researchers, regardless of affiliation, the opportunity to use the nine stations as resources in their research. A researcher may stay at one station and take measurements or perform experiments, or outsource tasks to be performed by the staff at the station. A further possibility is to use existing data collected at the stations.
SITES will collaborate with other relevant networks. Monitoring data collaborations are to be initiated with LifeWatch and ICOS. For experimental research activities focus will be addressed to the US LTER network. SITES will also actively monitor developments in other networks, such as AnaEE, a European network of experimental ecosystem research under formation.
The SITES initiative is funded by the Swedish Research Council in cooperation with five partner organizations: University of Gothenburg, Swedish Polar Research Institute, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Stockholm University and Uppsala University. The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences is hosting and coordinating SITES.
SITES is led by an external board, which is appointed by SLU in consultation with the Swedish Research Council. The board shall adopt a national perspective and take a holistic approach to infrastructure development. SITES operational activities are carried out by a scientifically qualified Director, who is part of the SITES secretariat.
Further information about SITES and the research stations involved can be found at www.fieldsites.se.
