Integrated European
Long-Term Ecosystem, critical zone and
socio-ecological Research

Adopted criteria for eLTER Categories of in-situ facilities

The eLTER Categories of sites and platforms were developed in close interaction between eLTER projects, the National Coordinators, and their teams. The scheme and mandatory criteria were adopted by the eLTER Interim Council in September 2022 and June 2024.

The overall concept

Site categories are needed to support the grouping and screening of in-situ facilities (eLTER Sites, eLTSER Platforms). They reflect the thematic scope and indicate relative costing. The most comprehensive (and expensive) elements were given the number “1”.

The common denominator of all eLTER Sites is that they implement a “Whole system approach”, which covers all spheres of the system. This marks the "RI boundary". eLTER Sites Category 3 are outside the formal “RI boundary”, while their association to the RI represent a valuable asset and these sites will benefit from several services of the RI. Some of them might later be upgraded to Category 2 or 1. Therefore, they are accommodated in the overall scheme.

Mandatory criteria: background & comparative overview

The eLTER categorisation of sites and platforms has been challenged to cover significantly heterogeneous conditions, incl. varying habitats and terrain properties. The tiered specification of categories responds to the need to be (1) as concrete as possible but (2) leave space for customising in applying categories to a wide range of structural and organisational settings that evolved in response to site conditions and research needs. Accordingly, we distinguish between (1) mandatory criteria (Figure 2), and (2) customisable characteristics such as the size and observational design.

SCat 1
SCat 2
Observational design covering the whole system (WAILS)
SCat 1
SCat 2
All system spheres covered with eLTER Standard Observations – BASIC
SCat 1
 
Specialisation: for at least two focal spheres the eLTER Standard Observations – PRIME are applied
SCat 1
 
Capacity for physical Transnational Access (TA), Remote Access (RA)
SCat 1
SCat 2
Virtual Access (VA, i.e. open data access)
SCat 1
SCat 2
Basic infrastructure (all-year access, energy supply)
SCat 1
SCat 2
Roles populated (Site coordinator, data manager etc.)
SCat 1
SCat 2
Full documentation in the eLTER site registry and nationally acknowledged
SCat 1
SCat 2
Long-term operation: past operation ≥ 10 years and future operation in accordance with eLTER RI planning

Overview of mandatory criteria for eLTER Sites Category 1 (SCat-1) and eLTER Sites Category 2 (SCat-2).

Site Category 1 mandatory criteria: short explanations

  • Two aspects have to evidence the implementation of the Whole System Approach (WAILS):
    • The overall observational design of the site
    • Coverage of all system spheres with Standard Observations using the basic method
  • There has to be specialisation beyond Category 2. For at least two focal spheres the prime Standard Observation methods are applied.
  • The capacity for physical Transnational Access (TA) and Remote Access (RA) hast to be secured.
  • Virtual Access (VA) has to be guaranteed. This is open access to data with a focus on data from the Standard Observations.
  • Criteria related to the basic infrastructure:
    • All-year access guaranteed (road infrastructure or other infrastructure)
    • Stable power supply with capacity for potential additional TA activities
  • Important roles have to be covered: Site coordinator, data manager and responsible director in the operating institutions appointed.
  • The site must be fully documented in eLTER’s sites and platforms registry (DEIMS-SDR) and acknowledged by (1) the shareholder engaged in the eLTER Interim Council and (2) the respective country LTER network.
  • Long-term operation has to be evidenced: Past operation since ≥10 yrs and future operation in accordance with the eLTER RI planning intervals.
Site Category 2 mandatory criteria: differences to Site Category 1

  • Two aspects have to evidence the implementation of the Whole System Approach (WAILS):
    • The overall observational design of the site
    • Coverage of all system spheres with Standard Observations using the basic method
  • There has to be specialisation beyond Category 2. For at least two focal spheres the prime Standard Observation methods are applied.
  • The capacity for physical Transnational Access (TA) and Remote Access (RA) hast to be secured.
  • Virtual Access (VA) has to be guaranteed. This is open access to data with a focus on data from the Standard Observations.
  • Criteria related to the basic infrastructure:
    • All-year access guaranteed (road infrastructure or other infrastructure)
    • Stable power supply with capacity for potential additional TA activities
  • Important roles have to be covered: Site coordinator, data manager and responsible director in the operating institutions appointed.
  • The site must be fully documented in eLTER’s sites and platforms registry (DEIMS-SDR) and acknowledged by (1) the shareholder engaged in the eLTER Interim Council and (2) the respective country LTER network.
  • Long-term operation has to be evidenced: Past operation since ≥10 yrs and future operation in accordance with the eLTER RI planning intervals.
eLTSER Platforms mandatory criteria

eLTSER Platforms are defined as Category 1 or Category 2 (like eLTER Sites). However, the distinction is only driven by the Standard Observations (number of variables, the methods and level of detail and accuracy). 

  • Supported research
    • Research on interactions and feedbacks between the environment and society. It is human-centered in that society itself belongs to the subjects of research and is engaged in the research process. It is driven by two interconnected motivations: Theory-driven and applied research on human-environment interactions, and stakeholder-driven and policy-relevant research based on collaborations with civil society
    • Supporting Transnational (physical) Access (TA), Remote Access (RA) and Virtual Access (VA)
  • Basic Spatial Design and Physical infrastructure
    • Explicit geographic boundaries must be declared and need to assure spatially and scalar match between socio-ecological and biotic/abiotic variables
    • Contains at least one eLTER Site of at least Category 2
    • Explicit and published narrative explaining the scientific justification for size, scale, and the logic behind the platform design.
  • Management, stakeholder engagement and data management have to be secured.
Standard Observations distinguishing between Platform Categories 1 and 2

  • An eLTSER Platform Category 2 (PCat-2) has to collect all SO variables, but with simplified (i.e., “basic” methods), and estimates are of lower precision. Some of the socio-ecological SO for eLTSER Platforms Category 2 rely on existing and publicly accessible EU data sets and will be provided through eLTER central services. However, the platforms are responsible for doing an expert assessment on the relevance of these data.
  • An eLTSER Platform Category 1 (PCat-1) has to collect standard socio-ecological data at a high degree of resolution using “prime” methods, which produce more accurate and precise data for the platform in either quantitative or qualitative formats, depending on the SO.

    For more details, click here.
Back to overview