Publication Marks Milestone for Southern Africa LTER Network

Developing the Environmental Long-Term Observatories Network of Southern Africa (ELTOSA)

*This is an excerpt of an article published in the South African Journal of Science 99, March/April 2003. Please see the complete article on the LTER Web site: lternet.edu/newsletter

The Environmental Long-Term Observatories Network of Southern Africa (ELTOSA) is a regional LTER network of country Environmental Observatories Networks (EON) encompassing the natural environments and their socioeconomic context.

EON involves the documentation, analysis and information dissemination concerning long-term, large-scale ecological and socioeconomic processes, which are elucidated through multidisciplinary research and monitoring over a network of institutionally operated field observation sites. Basic functions concern fieldwork, data management and sharing, analyses and interpretation, and information dissemination, all operated in such a way as to benefit most from cooperation among professionals and with resource managers at all levels.

Requirements for continuity include programmatic tenure and funding, data archiving, data sharing, training, and networking.

EON involves networking at four scales. First, the level of the EON centre interconnects specific study plots over time and space, and facilitates collaboration between researchers and students using the centre. Second, the country network level interconnects several institutions and programmes with common goals and activities. Third, the regional network level, such as ELTOSA, promotes subcontinental programmes, synergy, and complementarity. Fourth, the global network (ILTER, International Long- Term Ecological Research Network) facilitates planning and information exchange concerning such programmes across the world.

Background

In May 2001, we, scientists from six countries in southern Africa, formed the Environmental Long-Term Observatories Network of Southern Africa (ELTOSA).

ELTOSA connects country Environmental Observatories Networks (EON), the African adaptation of LTER (long-term ecological research). The International Long-Term Ecological Research Network (ILTER) has accepted ELTOSA as a regional member, and currently three ELTOSA country members have individual ILTER membership (Namibia in 1999, Zambia in 2001, South Africa in 2002) and others are working towards membership.

While the word ‘observatories’ expresses the idea of monitoring at multiple fixed sites that is fundamental to this kind of long-term data acquisition, ‘network’ expresses the interdisciplinary, multiinstitutional synergy and largescale (‘big science’) scope of EON. Finally, EON also expresses the longterm scope and the challenge of elucidating events across landscapes, species assemblages and eons.

EON tackles the formidable task of improving understanding of ecosystem function and change, as well as agents of change, to promote wise use and management of ecosystem goods and services through policies, strategies, public awareness and environmental education. Although environments are complex and dynamic with many interacting factors that vary at different scales, EON can provide a mechanism for effective early-warning systems and for the prediction of deleterious environmental change.

These strategies towards national and regional environmental information systems must be non-profit orientated and require synergy and good coordination among many scientists and institutions. EON therefore concerns monitoring, data archiving, data accessibility and sharing, and ensuring continuity of such programs.

Table 1. Current status of ELTOSA members in December 2002 indicating whether or not (Y/N) they are ILTER members, have government commitment for funding, are actively developing a country network, and have declared EON centres.

Environmental conventions

In the aftermath of the 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development, it is important to stress that EON and its related programmes (including LTER and the Global Terrestrial Observation System, GTOS) are crucial to nations and the international community meeting the goals of Agenda. EONrepresents a network of programmes and field stations that monitor environments and can provide data on baseline conditions, changes and trends, or a lack of changes. This provides input of time-series data and reflection on the conditions in which the Conventions operate, including their successes and failures. Such monitoring is an important element in the implementation of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD), the UN Frame Convention for Climate Change (FCCC), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), as well as numerous other global programmes, such as the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP), and DIVERSITAS. EON therefore promotes the development of the interest, understanding, and political will in African countries to incorporate the environment into informed development planning.

EON focuses on parameters that are good indicators. Are efforts to improve water/soil/ atmosphere, or to improve the basic living conditions of people or biota working or not? At which scale? How can we make predictions?

What chronic changes may affect people and the environment in the future and how can one obtain early warnings? Most reliable answers can be gained by examining well-documented lessons extending over time, space and ecosystems, lessons learnt from quantitative data obtained through monitoring and synergy among compatible institutions and data archives. EON can provide this.

Conditions for EON in Africa

EON is developing according to African needs and capabilities. Few African countries have national research councils or science and technology ministries mandated to fund or otherwise directly support research institutions, even government research departments operate in conditions of serious financial shortage. Where fully-fledged councils do not exist (this applies to all southern African countries except South Africa), networks tend to be based on associations between institutions. Furthermore, because there are so few African researchers, collaboration and innovation are crucial to achieving the challenging goals set by the agenda. Government does support research, but this is largely by recognition and endorsement. Government also plays an important role in planning and outsourcing commitments resulting from the ratification of environmental conventions, largely donorfunded. The focus of such funding is on furthering sustainable development directly; the fundamental role of EON lies in monitoring the effects of such support.