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Global climate systems and life on the planet are changing fast. Policy-makers and scientists need long-term objective data on the fluctuations in primary productivity of forests around the globe, as well as changes in the abundance and distribution of biological diversity to be able to distinguish the components of global change that can be ascribed to planetary processes from those which may be caused by human activity. The Smithsonian Institution and its partners propose to provide the required data by expanding its long-term global network of tropical forest dynamic plots into the temperate zone and by collecting data on vertebrates, insects and soil microorganisms in addition to the trees that have been monitored for more than two decades. We will answer the following questions: Is climate change causing increases or decreases in forest biomass and does the rate of carbon sequestered by forests vary with latitude? How are the diversity and the relative abundance of forest organisms changing over time and space? What components of the changes that we are measuring are due to human activities? How can we modify our behavior and economies to ameliorate the changes we wish to reverse or slow down?


The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) administers the Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatories (SIGEO), which is an outgrowth of and companion to the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS). Tremendous advances in our understanding of tropical diversity and dynamics have been gained from 27 years of research across the CTFS, and SIGEO is preparing to make an even larger contribution through monitoring the effects of anthropogenic increases in atmospheric CO2, nitrogen, and general air pollution at local, regional and global scales. In response to the need for global earth observing systems, the SIGEO has been restructured to provide baseline and continuous data to help solve real-world problems through real-time detailed and structured data and cutting-edge science. It is worth noting that the currentnetwork is extremely well utilized by independent university-associated faculty and network partners, thus the SIGEO leverages huge intellectual horsepower. Over 200 scientists and policy analysts have published over 1,000 scientific articles based on SIGEO data, many in the high profile journals Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Science and Nature, attesting to the general relevance and high impact of the science and policy issues being studied across the network (Figure 1).  These publications representa superb demonstration of the importance of long-term, high-quality, standardized data collected across a global network. In addition, the expanded research objectives will be coupled with training workshops to build professional capacity in developing countries to maintain climate change and biodiversity monitoring programs ultimately leading towards wise decision-making for sustainable management of natural resources. The Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity (MAB) Program at CRC and the forest plot program at STRI have considerable experience in conducting world-class training programs fostering the development of professional capacity in the U.S. and abroad. Such training is part of the soft diplomacy underlying U.S. foreign policy and competitiveness. Figure 2 and Figure 3 evidence the capacity building expertise that SIGEO has developed over the years.

Figure 1
 Figure 2
 Figure 3

The individual forest plots are led and managed in each country by one or more partner institutions. For example, the Indian Institute of Science manages the forest dynamics plot in Mudumalai, India, and the National Institute of Research of the Amazônia (INPA) leads the SIGEO plot in the Central Amazon. In addition, SIGEO plots in Asia are coordinated through a partnership with the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. The SIGEO sites involve hundreds of scientists representing more than two dozen institutions in the U.S. and internationally (Table 1).

The Smithsonian Institution is uniquely positioned to utilize SIGEO to broaden interdisciplinary research on complex biological systems at a global scale. It will do this by expanding into temperate regions, and utilizing more of the Smithsonian research units, including the National Zoological Park’s (NZP) Conservation and Research Center (CRC), the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), together with STRI. SIGEO is also in the process of expanding its working relationships with governmental and non-governmental research organizations within the United States and around the world. SIGEO will contribute to fulfilling the strategic plan of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) and addressing a proposed CCSP priority of reducing scientific uncertainty about potential effects of climatic change on ecosystems. Furthermore, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II assessment report has shown a pressing need for better observational data on climate change impacts, and has particularly pointed out the need for the systematic and comprehensive observations of the type that SIGEO will provide. 

 

Finally, the Smithsonian is reaching out to strengthen collaborations with other federal agencies of the United States including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) particularly in the context of the U.S. Group on Earth Observations (US GEO) and the implementation of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). US GEO recently nominated SIGEO for an Early Achievement Award for its potential contribution to GEOSS.  

The expanded methodology and objectives of SIGEO will insure even better observation, data and models in the future. In the environmental sciences, SIGEO stands as one of the premier U.S.-led international partnerships, where it promotes large-scale environmental monitoring, maintains unique and large banks of data and metadata, and galvanizes advanced data networks and sophisticated analyses of global climate change.

Table 1.

SIGEO partners associated with 20 established tropical sites. The Smithsonian Institution has a long successful history of “soft” diplomacy working with partners from around the world to conduct research.

The Americas
Brazil – National Institute of Research of the Amazônia (INPA), Universidade de Sao Paulo; Louisiana State University (USA).
Colombia - Instituto Humboldt, Instituto Amazonico De Investigaciones Cientificas (SINCHI), Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín (UNALMED).
Ecuador - Universidad Catolica de Ecuador, University of Aarhus (Denmark), Chicago Field Museum (USA).
Panama – STRI (USA), Canal Authority (Panama), University of Georgia (USA).
Puerto Rico - University of Puerto Rico, USDA Forest Service.

Africa
Cameroon – Bioresources Development and Conservation Program (BDCP), Oregon State University (USA), University of Buea (Cameroon).
Democratic Republic of Congo – Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Conservation Forestière (CEFRECOF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Asia
China – Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden.
India - Indian Institute of Science.
Malaysia - Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), Sarawak Forest Department, Osaka City UniversityKyoto University (Japan), National Institute of Environmental Studies (Japan), Harvard University (Japan), (USA).
Philippines – University of Philippines, Diliman Campus, Manila, Isabela State University, Plan International, Conservation International.
Singapore – National Institute for Education at Nanyang Technological University,Singapore National Parks Board, National University Singapore.
Sri Lanka - University of Peradeniya,Sri Lanka Forest Department,University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Taiwan – Tunghai University, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute.
Thailand - Royal Forest Department, National Institute of Environmental Studies (Japan), National Parks and Wildlife Department, Kyoto University (Japan).