Following a review of past activities of the LTER Climate Committee, which is a standing committee of the LTER Coordinating group formed at the last All Scientists Meeting in 1984, the following accomplishments were noted:
- Established protocols for site climate monitoring
- Created a site climate description book
- Held a workshop on Climate Variability and Ecosystem Response
- Published a monograph
The monograph, Climate Variability and Ecosystem Response, published in 1990 in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service Southeastern Experiment Station, has already been widely distributed. The final summary chapter will be submitted for publication, possibly in the bulletin of the American Ecological Society.
Traditionally, the Climate Committee has undertaken only one or two major projects at a time with one or two people assigned responsibility. After discussing several suggestions, the following activities were agreed upon:
Update Climate Description Document - This would include adding new sites and updating the site comparison chapter. David Greenland will take the lead on the description and comparison, and Tim Kittel (Central Plains LTER) on the time series analysis. A proposal will be submitted to the National Science Foundation.
Potential Climate Change at LTER Sites - A document will be produced by Bruce Hayden (in association with a forthcoming project with the National Park Service) to provide sites with information on projected and historically based suggestions of the range of climate changes which sites might reasonably expect to experience. The study would be based both on GCM output data and the historical record.
Data Managers - The LTER Data Managers have proposed to create a prototype on-line intersite climatological database which could be accessed via electronic mail over the Internet. They requested support from the Committee in implementing such a project. The group agreed to aid the effort, and modelers were encouraged to suggest what variables to include and how to standardize these data.
Provide sites with information on projected and historically based suggestions of the range of climate changes which sites might reasonably expect to experience. This will be accomplished using the LTERNET group mailing list or by posting items of interest on the LTER electronic Bulletin Board. Topics to be circulated include: a bibliography of climate ecosystem interactions (from Bruce Hayden), questions about equipment problems, the latest global climate change information, and items of general interest.
Traditionally, the Climate Committee has undertaken only one or two major projects at a time with one or two people assigned responsibility. After discussing several suggestions, the following activities were agreed upon:
Update Climate Description Document - This would include adding new sites and updating the site comparison chapter. David Greenland will take the lead on the description and comparison, and Tim Kittel (Central Plains LTER) on the time series analysis. A proposal will be submitted to the National Science Foundation.
Potential Climate Change at LTER Sites - A document will be produced by Bruce Hayden (in association with a forthcoming project with the National Park Service) to provide sites with information on projected and historically based suggestions of the range of climate changes which sites might reasonably expect to experience. The study would be based both on GCM output data and the historical record.
Data Managers - The LTER Data Managers have proposed to create a prototype on-line intersite climatological database which could be accessed via electronic mail over the Internet. They requested support from the Committee in implementing such a project. The group agreed to aid the effort, and modelers were encouraged to suggest what variables to include and how to standardize these data.
Provide sites with information on projected and historically based suggestions of the range of climate changes which sites might reasonably expect to experience. This will be accomplished using the LTERNET group mailing list or by posting items of interest on the LTER electronic Bulletin Board. Topics to be circulated include: a bibliography of climate ecosystem interactions (from Bruce Hayden), questions about equipment problems, the latest global climate change information, and items of general interest.
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