Project
LTER-LIFE
Our planet is changing at an unprecedented rate. One of the major scientific challenges is to understand and forecast how ecosystems are impacted by this global change. Addressing this challenge requires a leap towards predictive ecology. To do so, scientists need an infrastructure that allows investigating multiple scenarios, by integrating (1) long-term data on plants, animals, and the environment, (2) profound ecological knowledge on species and their interactions, (3) advanced modelling that applies Big Data tools on ecological datasets, and (4) high-performance computing and data science techniques.
The LTER-LIFE infrastructure will provide such a state-of-the-art Virtual Research Environment, allowing scientists to collaboratively build, for the first time, Digital Twins (i.e., digital replicas) of entire ecosystems. Using this novel approach, the LTER-LIFE infrastructure will launch the “ecology of the future”, fostering scientific breakthroughs through detailed understanding of how changes in anthropogenic drivers affect biodiversity, food webs, and ecosystem functioning.”
Binnen ecologisch onderzoek wordt een grote verscheidenheid aan data verzameld en geanalyseerd. De resulterende (monitorings-)gegevens, analysesets en modellen zijn echter lastig te vinden, te verbinden en her te gebruiken. Toch is deze vindbaarheid, verbinding en hergebruik nodig om bij te dragen aan het oplossen van de huidige ecologische crisis en aan de maatschappelijke transities in het landelijk gebied het hoofd te bieden.