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Making Ecological Monitoring Successful Making ecological monitoring successful Insights and lessons from the Long Term Ecological Research Network Long Term Ecological Research Network © Long Term Ecological Research Network 2014 ISBN 978-0-9925176-3-2 Booklet citation: Burns E, Lindenmayer D, Tennant P, Dickman C, Green P, Hanigan I, Hoffmann A, Keith D, Metcalfe D, Nolan K, Russell-Smith J, Wardle G, Welsh A, Williams R, Yates C (2014). Making ecological monitoring successful: Insights and lessons from the Long Term Ecological Research Network, LTERN, Australia. Available at www.tern.org.au/ltern or in hard copy on request. LTERN is a facility within the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). TERN is supported by the Australian Government through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. Long Term Ecological Research Network Australian National University Email: [email protected] Long Term Ecological Research Network Ph: (02) 6125 1737 (Dr Emma Burns, Executive Director) www.ltern.org.au Edited and designed by Biotext Ltd, Canberra. Cover photo: Eucalypt trees, Kangaloon, Southern Highlands, New South Wales, B Ashenhurst. 2 Photo: caption, Name. Contents Authors 4 Executive summary 6 Introduction 8 Long Term Ecological Research Network 8 This booklet 9 Section 1 Characteristics of successful monitoring 10 Characteristic 1—Fit for purpose 11 Characteristic 2—Early use of data to examine its properties and test assumptions 15 Characteristic 3—High level of data curation and management 17 Characteristic 4—Communication of lessons learned and outcomes generated 22 Checklist of the characteristics of successful monitoring 23 Section 2 Characteristics of effective and influential long-term monitoring 24 Characteristic 1—Continuous funding 25 Characteristic 2—Dedication and determination at multiple levels 27 Characteristic 3—Project management and succession planning 31 Characteristic 4—Development of enduring partnerships 36 Characteristic 5—Maintenance of field infrastructure 38 Characteristic 6—Reflection and adaptation 39 Characteristic 7—Project momentum built through co-located projects 43 Characteristic 8—Communication of the value and importance of long-term monitoring 45 Successful large-scale long-term monitoring 47 Checklist of the characteristics of effective and influential long-term monitoring 50 Conclusion 53 Acknowledgements 55 References 56 Photo: Trichosurus cunninghami (mountain brushtail possum), D Blair. 3 Authors The Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) is a group of experts in ecological research, ecological monitoring, field ecology, conservation science and policy, data management, and statistics. LTERN is a facility within the Australian Government–funded Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network. Booklet authors were: Dr Emma Burns—Executive Director, LTERN; Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory Professor David Lindenmayer—Science Director and Plot Leader, LTERN; Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory Mr Philip Tennant—LTERN Statistician; Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory Professor Chris Dickman—Plot Leader, LTERN; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales Dr Peter Green—Plot Leader, LTERN; Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Victoria Mr Ivan Hanigan—Data Manager/Analyst, LTERN; Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory Professor Ary Hoffmann—Plot Leader, LTERN; Bio21 Institute, Departments of Genetics and Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria Professor David Keith—Plot Leader, LTERN; Australian Wetlands, Rivers and Landscapes Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales; Ecosystem Management Science Branch, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, New South Wales Dr Dan Metcalfe—Plot Leader, LTERN; CSIRO Land & Water Flagship, EcoSciences Precinct—Dutton Park, Queensland Mrs Kathryn Nolan—LTERN Data Librarian; Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory Dr Jeremy Russell-Smith—Plot Leader, LTERN; Darwin Centre for Bushfire Research, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory Associate Professor Glenda Wardle—Plot Leader, LTERN; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales Professor Alan Welsh—Senior Advisory Statistician, LTERN External Reference Group; Centre for Mathematics and its Applications, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory Dr Richard Williams—Research scientist, LTERN; Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory Mr Cameron Yates—Research Scientist, LTERN; Darwin Centre for Bushfire Research, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory Photo: (this page) Macropus giganteus (eastern grey kangaroo), 4 T Boyer, (opposite) Xanthorrhoea (grass tree), C Shepherd. Photo: caption, Name. 5 Executive summary Ecological monitoring allows us to track changes in the environment and helps us see how our actions affect the environment. Long-term monitoring is particularly important, yielding valuable insights that are not possible from shorter-term investigations. We consider successful ecological monitoring to be monitoring that generates knowledge that is useful to others, and can be valuable in adaptive and effective environmental management. Any effective monitoring program requires a number of fundamental considerations, and additional factors should be considered in the design of a long-term monitoring program. This booklet describes what we consider to be the key characteristics of successful ecological monitoring, including long-term monitoring. In summary, these are as follows: Characteristics of Characteristics of effective and successful monitoring influential long‑term monitoring Characteristic 1 Characteristic 1 Fit for purpose Continuous funding Characteristic 2 Characteristic 2 Early use of data to examine its Dedication and determination properties and test assumptions at multiple levels Characteristic 3 Characteristic 3 High level of data curation Project management and and management succession planning Characteristic 4 Characteristic 4 Communication of lessons learned Development of enduring partnerships and outcomes generated Characteristic 5 Maintenance of field infrastructure Characteristic 6 Reflection and adaptation Characteristic 7 Project momentum built through co-located projects Characteristic 8 Communication of the value and importance of long-term monitoring 6 Photo: Calyptorhynchus banksii (red-tailed black cockatoo), C Macgregor. All these characteristics work together. For example, good project design cannot meet its objectives without long-term funding; data management must be matched by good communication; and good partnerships must Checklists of be maintained through succession and project planning. the requirements In discussing these characteristics and our recommendations for how for achieving the they may be achieved, we present a series of stories and quotes. These insights are based on the collective experience of research characteristics are leaders of the 12 plot networks within the Long Term Ecological available on pages Research Network, along with other professionals associated with the 23 and 50. network. These stories highlight just how difficult it is to do long-term ecological research in Australia. They also illustrate the unique value of this kind of research for helping to understand and manage the Australian environment. We hope that this booklet will support the development of more effective and influential long-term ecological projects in Australia. Photos: (left) A Lasioglossum cognatum (native bee) on a Wahlenbergia gracilis (desert bluebell), T Popic, (right) Litoria peronii (Peron’s tree frog), D Michael. 7 Introduction Ecological monitoring is the process of purposefully collecting information to track and help understand changes in ecosystem structure, ecological processes, and the ecological services that ecosystems provide to nature, including humans (Lindenmayer & Likens 2010). The need for ecological monitoring is well established (e.g. Goldsmith 1991; Lindenmayer et al. 2012a; Lovett et al. 2007). Monitoring allows us to track changes in the environment and to see how human actions—both positive and negative—may play a role in affecting the environment. We use the term ‘long-term monitoring’ to refer to the persistent and conscientious collection of information over enduring periods of time. In previous publications from the Australian Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTERN) (e.g. Lindenmayer et al. 2012a), we have defined ‘long term’ to mean 10 years or more. It is widely accepted that long- term ecological monitoring yields important insights into changes in ecosystem structure and ecological processes that are not possible from shorter-term investigations (e.g. Daily 1997; Holmes 2011; Holmes & Sherry 2001; Knowlton & Jones 2006; Krebs et al. 2001; Lindenmayer & Likens 2010; Odum 1959; Westoby 1991; Willis et al. 2008). Long- term monitoring is especially important for exploring the complex, multiple, simultaneous, nonlinear interactions that are
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