Seizing the treasure: making long-term environmental data available for eLTER and beyond
Category
Institutions
Data type
Field
Researchers
Abstract
Established in 1975, the European Long-term Ecosystem Research (eLTER) facility, Stillberg, in the alpine ecosystem near Davos, Switzerland, has amassed extensive environmental and ecological data over almost five decades. These encompass treeline afforestation experiments, meteorological records, plant responses to carbon dioxide enrichment, soil warming effects, plant-snow and plant-soil interactions, and factors influencing tree seedling recruitment. Our project's aim is to contribute these valuable ecological datasets from Stillberg as open research data (ORD). By meticulously curating these datasets and uploading them to national and international ORD platforms like EnviDat and DEIMS-SDR, we enhance their visibility, quality, and accessibility. Sharing this long-term environmental data fosters research syntheses, meta-analyses, and understanding of long-term ecosystem processes in mountain regions, supporting adaptation strategies.