eLTER Initial Services
As we develop the eLTER Research Infrastructure we are developing and testing a range of initial services and tools, many of which are already accessible. We’ve listed them here, along with further information about the anticipated services that eLTER RI will provide. Further services will be added as they are developed and we release prototype versions.
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Please note that some of the services and tools described here are still in an early stage of development and may therefore lack documentation. Please be patient as we develop them further.
The Head Office services being developed include those facing outward to external users and those required by internal users.
External user services proposed are:
- Research project development and support
- Support of external reporting and assessment
- Communication and Promotion
- Partnerships and liaisoning
- High-level representation, promotion and strategic alliances
- Promoting eLTER field site access.
Internal user services proposed are:
- National Research Infrastructure & community development and management
- Management, governance and steering across eLTER RI tools and components
- Service portal/helpdesk operation and iterative improvement
- Competence building and staff training
- Strategic RI planning and improvement based on internal and external feedback.
Example service delivery tools are:
The eLTER TA-RA Scheme
Are you a scientist working in the areas of biodiversity, biogeochemistry, hydrology or socio-ecological research? Do you want to study the natural environment at one of our well-equipped research sites? Our Transnational and Remote Access Scheme provides both physical and remote access to selected eLTER Sites and Platforms.
Learn more about the TA-RA Scheme.
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The eLTER Head office helpdesk
This is your contact point for enquiries about eLTER RI services.
The services being developed in this area relate to providing FAIR data services to enable acquisition, integration and dissemination of eLTER Standard Observation and other core data, including registration and description of network field sites and their capabilities. Key data services include:
- Site registration and cataloguing
- Access to Site Data
- Data ingestion
- Access to data products
- Site Information Clusters
- Data usage statistics.
Example service delivery tools are:
DEIMS-SDR
Explore global LTER sites and datasets via DEIMS-SDR. With over 1200 site records, DEIMS-SDR (Dynamic Ecological Information Management System - Site and dataset registry) is a one-stop shop for LTER site information. Many other existing eLTER services link to DEIMS-SDR, and others are in development.
EcoSense
Visualise remote sensing data and time-series data with EcoSense, a tool developed by eLTER and eShape.
This area will develop services to enable ongoing specification of the RI site network, interoperability with other RIs and potential for cross-RI research support. We intend to support multi-disciplinarity and co-location of site design with other monitoring networks and RIs, potentially specifying requirements for new measurements and protocols across the network.
The services being developed include:
- Establishment and continuous updating of eLTER Standard Observations with related methods and protocols
- Interfacing and collaborating with other networks and RIs on co-location, co-design and joint management of in-situ sites
- Consultation and support for design and operation of multi- & transdisciplinary research within eLTER RI and across RIs
- Design of sites enabling a Whole System Approach to research
- Contributing to the site selection and labelling service link to services of 02_DM
- Identify best choices for procurement of high-cost instruments across the RI
- Technical consultation for new eLTER RI members on site locations and requirements
- Technical consultation on observation maintenance and field calibration.
eLTER Sites and Platforms Forum
If you are a Site or Platform Coordinator (SPC) then this is the forum for you. It aims to support you via regular online forum events, during which we discuss issues of common concern and enable SPCs to meet one another.
This area will organise dedicated networking events (workshops / seminars / on-site visits etc) linking business/ industry and eLTER research sites showing added value of collaborating with eLTER for specific groups (developing and testing of devices, product scaling). We will coordinate in situ technology development and testing to establish knowledge hubs on current technology suppliers, technology needs, software needs, contact points, and possibilities for research and development proposals.
This area brings together the services and capabilities to develop new analytical methods and modelling techniques to extend the use of eLTER Standard Observations. This will be developed through statistical interpolation, combination with other contextual data (e.g. with remotely sensed data) or as driving data for process models to produce forecast data (e.g. through combination with climate scenario data).
The services being developed include:
- Discovery and access to a range of tools and models for the community to utilise eLTER data
- Production and access to synthesised and gap free data products from site to network and ecosystem level based on ecosystem reanalysis (integrating models and data) and capitalising on the data legacy of the eLTER RI sites
- Tools to integrate and analyse data from the RI using different scales and themes across ecological and sociological data (e.g. natural capital flows)
- Tools to enable calibration and validation of remote sensed data using eLTER.
Example service-delivery tools are:
ReLTER
With the ReLTER package of tools you can search and access DEIMS-SDR data from within your R code. For example, you can find sites where a particular species occurs and relate these site areas to extensive Earth observation datasets. Further functions will be continuously added to enable programmatic access to a range of digital services by the eLTER RI.
CrocoTile
If you wish to work with SENTINEL earth observation data in conjunction with eLTER site information then CrocoTile is a handy tool that finds the most relevant tile (granule) of SENTINEL earth observation data for any given eLTER site.
This area will develop services to increase impact on decision-making processes affecting the multiple and complex socio-ecological problems that humans face in the 21st century. For example, to enable effective climate change adaptation and mitigation, and catalyse a sustainability transformation of natural resource use and management systems.
The services being developed include:
- Training addressing socio-environmental topics: facilitating capacity building
- Facilitate knowledge transfer between eLTER observatories and stakeholders as well as transformation, action and adaptation through trans-disciplinary tools and boundary objects
- Provide bridging “platforms” such as workshops, labs, targeted exhibitions and events, and decision-making theatres for interactive testing of scenarios
Services from this area will complement eLTER’s Standard Observations (SOs) and the Whole System Approach. This could be through central laboratories providing SO variables (eDNA, hydrochemistry etc) or centrally organised campaigns (geophysics, aircraft-/drone campaigns) at eLTER sites and/or sensor loan system to bridge a sudden malfunction of sensors at eLTER sites or for cross-calibration at sites.
The services being developed include:
- Augmentation of site-based, site-specific and site-operated activities (cross-calibration of SOs, campaigns)
- Consultation on technical maintenance and field calibration
- Centralised analytical services (e.g. eDNA, water analysis, soil analysis etc.) across the RI.