A survey of ecological inventory, monitoring, and research in US National Park Service Biosphere Reserves

Abstract

The investigators conducted a telephone survey of the 14 Biosphere Reserve units managed by the US National Park Service. Questions assessed the completeness of the reserves' baseline resource inventory, long-term monitoring, and long-term ecological research programmes. Geographical features and archives were the most completely represented, and disturbance and aquatic systems the least completely represented items of inventory. In general, long-term ecological research of all types was poorly represented, eight of the areas having 10% or less of the possible research coverage. Carbon and nutrient cycling and exceptionally low ratins of 5 and 6 (of 100) respectively. Temperate and mountain parks tended to have more complete programmes than desert and island parks. Units with in-park research laboratories and resident scientists had more complete programmes than those without.