Integrating long-term ecological research and adaptive management
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Edited by Dorothee Ehrich, Eeva Soininen
In this session we are interested in discussing different ways for long-term ecological research programs to interact with management of ecosystem components, collaborate with management bodies and integrate aspects of adaptive management. This can be done for instance by carrying out experimental management interventions, or by predicting the effect of management options in a framework of structured decision making. The case of the climate ecological observatory for arctic tundra (COAT) in the Norwegian Arctic shows how a food-web approach to designing a monitoring program allows to integrate management interventions in the conceptual models guiding the long-term research. Indeed, humans often affect ecosystems by their impacts on food webs. Collaborations with management agencies and other stakeholders can be developed according to formalised protocols, and they become often particularly useful and productive when researchers and managers are working together over time, developing a common understanding and mutual trust. Here we are interested in discussing the relevance of collaboration with management for long-term ecological research, as well as different approaches that are or could be used, as well as examples of such collaborations.