Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

Benjamin S. Halpern; Carl Boettiger; Michael C. Dietze; Jessica A. Gephart; Patrick Gonzalez; Nancy B. Grimm; Peter M. Groffman; Jessica Gurevitch; Sarah E. Hobbie; Kimberly J. Komatsu; Kristy J. Kroeker; Heather J. Lahr; David M. Lodge; Christopher J. Lortie; Julie S. S. Lowndes; Fiorenza Micheli; Hugh P. Possingham; Mary H. Ruckelshaus; Courtney Scarborough; Chelsea L. Wood; Grace C. Wu; Lina Aoyama; Eva E. Arroyo; Christie A. Bahlai; Erin E. Beller; Rachael E. Blake; Karrigan S. Bork; Trevor A. Branch; Norah E. M. Brown; Julien Brun; Emilio M. Bruna; Lauren B. Buckley; Jessica L. Burnett; Max C. N. Castorani; Samantha H. Cheng; Sarah C. Cohen; Jessica L. Couture; Larry B. Crowder; Laura E. Dee; Arildo S. Dias; Ignacio J. Diaz-Maroto; Martha R. Downs; Joan C. Dudney; Erle C. Ellis; Kyle A. Emery; Jacob G. Eurich; Bridget E. Ferriss; Alexa Fredston; Hikaru Furukawa; Sara A. Gagné; Sarah R. Garlick; Colin J. Garroway; Kaitlyn M. Gaynor; Angélica L. González; Eliza M. Grames; Tamar Guy-Haim; Ed Hackett; Lauren M. Hallett; Tamara K. Harms; Danielle E. Haulsee; Kyle J. Haynes; Elliott L. Hazen; Rebecca M. Jarvis; Kristal Jones; Gaurav S. Kandlikar; Dustin W. Kincaid; Matthew L. Knope; Anil Koirala; Jurek Kolasa; John S. Kominoski; Julia Koricheva; Lesley T. Lancaster; Jake A. Lawlor; Heili E. Lowman; Frank E. Muller-Karger; Kari E. A. Norman; Nan Nourn; Casey C. O'Hara; Suzanne X. Ou; Jacqueline L. Padilla-Gamino; Paula Pappalardo; Ryan A. Peek; Dominique Pelletier; Stephen Plont; Lauren C. Ponisio; Cristina Portales-Reyes; Diogo B. Provete; Eric J. Raes; Carlos Ramirez-Reyes; Irene Ramos; Sydne Record; Anthony J. Richardson; Roberto Salguero-Gómez; Erin V. Satterthwaite; Chloé Schmidt; Aaron J. Schwartz; Craig R. See; Brendan D. Shea; Rachel S. Smith; Eric R. Sokol; Christopher T. Solomon; Trisha Spanbauer; Paris V. Stefanoudis; Beckett W. Sterner; Vitor Sudbrack; Jonathan D. Tonkin; Ashley R. Townes; Mireia Valle; Jonathan A. Walter; Kathryn I. Wheeler; William R. Wieder; David R. Williams; Marten Winter; Barbora Winterova; Lucy C. Woodall; Adam S. Wymore; Casey Youngflesh

doi:10.1002/ecs2.4342

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

Benjamin S. Halpern^* (Corresponding Author), Carl Boettiger, Michael C. Dietze, Jessica A. Gephart, Patrick Gonzalez, Nancy B. Grimm, Peter M. Groffman, Jessica Gurevitch, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kimberly J. Komatsu, Kristy J. Kroeker, Heather J. Lahr, David M. Lodge, Christopher J. Lortie, Julie S. S. Lowndes, Fiorenza Micheli, Hugh P. Possingham, Mary H. Ruckelshaus, Courtney Scarborough, Chelsea L. WoodGrace C. Wu, Lina Aoyama, Eva E. Arroyo, Christie A. Bahlai, Erin E. Beller, Rachael E. Blake, Karrigan S. Bork, Trevor A. Branch, Norah E. M. Brown, Julien Brun, Emilio M. Bruna, Lauren B. Buckley, Jessica L. Burnett, Max C. N. Castorani, Samantha H. Cheng, Sarah C. Cohen, Jessica L. Couture, Larry B. Crowder, Laura E. Dee, Arildo S. Dias, Ignacio J. Diaz-Maroto, Martha R. Downs, Joan C. Dudney, Erle C. Ellis, Kyle A. Emery, Jacob G. Eurich, Bridget E. Ferriss, Alexa Fredston, Hikaru Furukawa, Sara A. Gagné, Sarah R. Garlick, Colin J. Garroway, Kaitlyn M. Gaynor, Angélica L. González, Eliza M. Grames, Tamar Guy-Haim, Ed Hackett, Lauren M. Hallett, Tamara K. Harms, Danielle E. Haulsee, Kyle J. Haynes, Elliott L. Hazen, Rebecca M. Jarvis, Kristal Jones, Gaurav S. Kandlikar, Dustin W. Kincaid, Matthew L. Knope, Anil Koirala, Jurek Kolasa, John S. Kominoski, Julia Koricheva, Lesley T. Lancaster, Jake A. Lawlor, Heili E. Lowman, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Kari E. A. Norman, Nan Nourn, Casey C. O'Hara, Suzanne X. Ou, Jacqueline L. Padilla-Gamino, Paula Pappalardo, Ryan A. Peek, Dominique Pelletier, Stephen Plont, Lauren C. Ponisio, Cristina Portales-Reyes, Diogo B. Provete, Eric J. Raes, Carlos Ramirez-Reyes, Irene Ramos, Sydne Record, Anthony J. Richardson, Roberto Salguero-Gómez, Erin V. Satterthwaite, Chloé Schmidt, Aaron J. Schwartz, Craig R. See, Brendan D. Shea, Rachel S. Smith, Eric R. Sokol, Christopher T. Solomon, Trisha Spanbauer, Paris V. Stefanoudis, Beckett W. Sterner, Vitor Sudbrack, Jonathan D. Tonkin, Ashley R. Townes, Mireia Valle, Jonathan A. Walter, Kathryn I. Wheeler, William R. Wieder, David R. Williams, Marten Winter, Barbora Winterova, Lucy C. Woodall, Adam S. Wymore, Casey Youngflesh

^*Corresponding author for this work

Aberdeen Centre For Environmental Sustainability

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Abstract Synthesis research in ecology and environmental science improves understanding, advances theory, identifies research priorities, and supports management strategies by linking data, ideas, and tools. Accelerating environmental challenges increases the need to focus synthesis science on the most pressing questions. To leverage input from the broader research community, we convened a virtual workshop with participants from many countries and disciplines to examine how and where synthesis can address key questions and themes in ecology and environmental science in the coming decade. Seven priority research topics emerged: (1) diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), (2) human and natural systems, (3) actionable and use-inspired science, (4) scale, (5) generality, (6) complexity and resilience, and (7) predictability. Additionally, two issues regarding the general practice of synthesis emerged: the need for increased participant diversity and inclusive research practices; and increased and improved data flow, access, and skill-building. These topics and practices provide a strategic vision for future synthesis in ecology and environmental science.

Original language	English
Article number	e4342
Number of pages	13
Journal	Ecosphere
Volume	14
Issue number	1
Early online date	11 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4342
Publication status	Published - 11 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.

Keywords

complexity
coupled systems
diversity
ecological scale
justice
predictability
use-inspired science

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This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2023 The Authors. Ecosphere published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Ecological Society of America https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Final published version, 2.88 MBLicence: CC BY

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Halpern, B. S., Boettiger, C., Dietze, M. C., Gephart, J. A., Gonzalez, P., Grimm, N. B., Groffman, P. M., Gurevitch, J., Hobbie, S. E., Komatsu, K. J., Kroeker, K. J., Lahr, H. J., Lodge, D. M., Lortie, C. J., Lowndes, J. S. S., Micheli, F., Possingham, H. P., Ruckelshaus, M. H., Scarborough, C., ... Youngflesh, C. (2023). Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science. Ecosphere, 14(1), Article e4342. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4342

Halpern, BS, Boettiger, C, Dietze, MC, Gephart, JA, Gonzalez, P, Grimm, NB, Groffman, PM, Gurevitch, J, Hobbie, SE, Komatsu, KJ, Kroeker, KJ, Lahr, HJ, Lodge, DM, Lortie, CJ, Lowndes, JSS, Micheli, F, Possingham, HP, Ruckelshaus, MH, Scarborough, C, Wood, CL, Wu, GC, Aoyama, L, Arroyo, EE, Bahlai, CA, Beller, EE, Blake, RE, Bork, KS, Branch, TA, Brown, NEM, Brun, J, Bruna, EM, Buckley, LB, Burnett, JL, Castorani, MCN, Cheng, SH, Cohen, SC, Couture, JL, Crowder, LB, Dee, LE, Dias, AS, Diaz-Maroto, IJ, Downs, MR, Dudney, JC, Ellis, EC, Emery, KA, Eurich, JG, Ferriss, BE, Fredston, A, Furukawa, H, Gagné, SA, Garlick, SR, Garroway, CJ, Gaynor, KM, González, AL, Grames, EM, Guy-Haim, T, Hackett, E, Hallett, LM, Harms, TK, Haulsee, DE, Haynes, KJ, Hazen, EL, Jarvis, RM, Jones, K, Kandlikar, GS, Kincaid, DW, Knope, ML, Koirala, A, Kolasa, J, Kominoski, JS, Koricheva, J, Lancaster, LT, Lawlor, JA, Lowman, HE, Muller-Karger, FE, Norman, KEA, Nourn, N, O'Hara, CC, Ou, SX, Padilla-Gamino, JL, Pappalardo, P, Peek, RA, Pelletier, D, Plont, S, Ponisio, LC, Portales-Reyes, C, Provete, DB, Raes, EJ, Ramirez-Reyes, C, Ramos, I, Record, S, Richardson, AJ, Salguero-Gómez, R, Satterthwaite, EV, Schmidt, C, Schwartz, AJ, See, CR, Shea, BD, Smith, RS, Sokol, ER, Solomon, CT, Spanbauer, T, Stefanoudis, PV, Sterner, BW, Sudbrack, V, Tonkin, JD, Townes, AR, Valle, M, Walter, JA, Wheeler, KI, Wieder, WR, Williams, DR, Winter, M, Winterova, B, Woodall, LC, Wymore, AS & Youngflesh, C 2023, 'Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science', Ecosphere, vol. 14, no. 1, e4342. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4342

@article{9ba0ae48a95c4fcf942da63da04ea267,

title = "Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science",

abstract = "Abstract Synthesis research in ecology and environmental science improves understanding, advances theory, identifies research priorities, and supports management strategies by linking data, ideas, and tools. Accelerating environmental challenges increases the need to focus synthesis science on the most pressing questions. To leverage input from the broader research community, we convened a virtual workshop with participants from many countries and disciplines to examine how and where synthesis can address key questions and themes in ecology and environmental science in the coming decade. Seven priority research topics emerged: (1) diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), (2) human and natural systems, (3) actionable and use-inspired science, (4) scale, (5) generality, (6) complexity and resilience, and (7) predictability. Additionally, two issues regarding the general practice of synthesis emerged: the need for increased participant diversity and inclusive research practices; and increased and improved data flow, access, and skill-building. These topics and practices provide a strategic vision for future synthesis in ecology and environmental science.",

keywords = "complexity, coupled systems, diversity, ecological scale, justice, predictability, use-inspired science",

author = "Halpern, {Benjamin S.} and Carl Boettiger and Dietze, {Michael C.} and Gephart, {Jessica A.} and Patrick Gonzalez and Grimm, {Nancy B.} and Groffman, {Peter M.} and Jessica Gurevitch and Hobbie, {Sarah E.} and Komatsu, {Kimberly J.} and Kroeker, {Kristy J.} and Lahr, {Heather J.} and Lodge, {David M.} and Lortie, {Christopher J.} and Lowndes, {Julie S. S.} and Fiorenza Micheli and Possingham, {Hugh P.} and Ruckelshaus, {Mary H.} and Courtney Scarborough and Wood, {Chelsea L.} and Wu, {Grace C.} and Lina Aoyama and Arroyo, {Eva E.} and Bahlai, {Christie A.} and Beller, {Erin E.} and Blake, {Rachael E.} and Bork, {Karrigan S.} and Branch, {Trevor A.} and Brown, {Norah E. M.} and Julien Brun and Bruna, {Emilio M.} and Buckley, {Lauren B.} and Burnett, {Jessica L.} and Castorani, {Max C. N.} and Cheng, {Samantha H.} and Cohen, {Sarah C.} and Couture, {Jessica L.} and Crowder, {Larry B.} and Dee, {Laura E.} and Dias, {Arildo S.} and Diaz-Maroto, {Ignacio J.} and Downs, {Martha R.} and Dudney, {Joan C.} and Ellis, {Erle C.} and Emery, {Kyle A.} and Eurich, {Jacob G.} and Ferriss, {Bridget E.} and Alexa Fredston and Hikaru Furukawa and Gagn{\'e}, {Sara A.} and Garlick, {Sarah R.} and Garroway, {Colin J.} and Gaynor, {Kaitlyn M.} and Gonz{\'a}lez, {Ang{\'e}lica L.} and Grames, {Eliza M.} and Tamar Guy-Haim and Ed Hackett and Hallett, {Lauren M.} and Harms, {Tamara K.} and Haulsee, {Danielle E.} and Haynes, {Kyle J.} and Hazen, {Elliott L.} and Jarvis, {Rebecca M.} and Kristal Jones and Kandlikar, {Gaurav S.} and Kincaid, {Dustin W.} and Knope, {Matthew L.} and Anil Koirala and Jurek Kolasa and Kominoski, {John S.} and Julia Koricheva and Lancaster, {Lesley T.} and Lawlor, {Jake A.} and Lowman, {Heili E.} and Muller-Karger, {Frank E.} and Norman, {Kari E. A.} and Nan Nourn and O'Hara, {Casey C.} and Ou, {Suzanne X.} and Padilla-Gamino, {Jacqueline L.} and Paula Pappalardo and Peek, {Ryan A.} and Dominique Pelletier and Stephen Plont and Ponisio, {Lauren C.} and Cristina Portales-Reyes and Provete, {Diogo B.} and Raes, {Eric J.} and Carlos Ramirez-Reyes and Irene Ramos and Sydne Record and Richardson, {Anthony J.} and Roberto Salguero-G{\'o}mez and Satterthwaite, {Erin V.} and Chlo{\'e} Schmidt and Schwartz, {Aaron J.} and See, {Craig R.} and Shea, {Brendan D.} and Smith, {Rachel S.} and Sokol, {Eric R.} and Solomon, {Christopher T.} and Trisha Spanbauer and Stefanoudis, {Paris V.} and Sterner, {Beckett W.} and Vitor Sudbrack and Tonkin, {Jonathan D.} and Townes, {Ashley R.} and Mireia Valle and Walter, {Jonathan A.} and Wheeler, {Kathryn I.} and Wieder, {William R.} and Williams, {David R.} and Marten Winter and Barbora Winterova and Woodall, {Lucy C.} and Wymore, {Adam S.} and Casey Youngflesh",

note = "ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.",

year = "2023",

month = jan,

day = "11",

doi = "10.1002/ecs2.4342",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

journal = "Ecosphere",

issn = "2150-8925",

publisher = "Wiley",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

AU - Halpern, Benjamin S.

AU - Boettiger, Carl

AU - Dietze, Michael C.

AU - Gephart, Jessica A.

AU - Gonzalez, Patrick

AU - Grimm, Nancy B.

AU - Groffman, Peter M.

AU - Gurevitch, Jessica

AU - Hobbie, Sarah E.

AU - Komatsu, Kimberly J.

AU - Kroeker, Kristy J.

AU - Lahr, Heather J.

AU - Lodge, David M.

AU - Lortie, Christopher J.

AU - Lowndes, Julie S. S.

AU - Micheli, Fiorenza

AU - Possingham, Hugh P.

AU - Ruckelshaus, Mary H.

AU - Scarborough, Courtney

AU - Wood, Chelsea L.

AU - Wu, Grace C.

AU - Aoyama, Lina

AU - Arroyo, Eva E.

AU - Bahlai, Christie A.

AU - Beller, Erin E.

AU - Blake, Rachael E.

AU - Bork, Karrigan S.

AU - Branch, Trevor A.

AU - Brown, Norah E. M.

AU - Brun, Julien

AU - Bruna, Emilio M.

AU - Buckley, Lauren B.

AU - Burnett, Jessica L.

AU - Castorani, Max C. N.

AU - Cheng, Samantha H.

AU - Cohen, Sarah C.

AU - Couture, Jessica L.

AU - Crowder, Larry B.

AU - Dee, Laura E.

AU - Dias, Arildo S.

AU - Diaz-Maroto, Ignacio J.

AU - Downs, Martha R.

AU - Dudney, Joan C.

AU - Ellis, Erle C.

AU - Emery, Kyle A.

AU - Eurich, Jacob G.

AU - Ferriss, Bridget E.

AU - Fredston, Alexa

AU - Furukawa, Hikaru

AU - Gagné, Sara A.

AU - Garlick, Sarah R.

AU - Garroway, Colin J.

AU - Gaynor, Kaitlyn M.

AU - González, Angélica L.

AU - Grames, Eliza M.

AU - Guy-Haim, Tamar

AU - Hackett, Ed

AU - Hallett, Lauren M.

AU - Harms, Tamara K.

AU - Haulsee, Danielle E.

AU - Haynes, Kyle J.

AU - Hazen, Elliott L.

AU - Jarvis, Rebecca M.

AU - Jones, Kristal

AU - Kandlikar, Gaurav S.

AU - Kincaid, Dustin W.

AU - Knope, Matthew L.

AU - Koirala, Anil

AU - Kolasa, Jurek

AU - Kominoski, John S.

AU - Koricheva, Julia

AU - Lancaster, Lesley T.

AU - Lawlor, Jake A.

AU - Lowman, Heili E.

AU - Muller-Karger, Frank E.

AU - Norman, Kari E. A.

AU - Nourn, Nan

AU - O'Hara, Casey C.

AU - Ou, Suzanne X.

AU - Padilla-Gamino, Jacqueline L.

AU - Pappalardo, Paula

AU - Peek, Ryan A.

AU - Pelletier, Dominique

AU - Plont, Stephen

AU - Ponisio, Lauren C.

AU - Portales-Reyes, Cristina

AU - Provete, Diogo B.

AU - Raes, Eric J.

AU - Ramirez-Reyes, Carlos

AU - Ramos, Irene

AU - Record, Sydne

AU - Richardson, Anthony J.

AU - Salguero-Gómez, Roberto

AU - Satterthwaite, Erin V.

AU - Schmidt, Chloé

AU - Schwartz, Aaron J.

AU - See, Craig R.

AU - Shea, Brendan D.

AU - Smith, Rachel S.

AU - Sokol, Eric R.

AU - Solomon, Christopher T.

AU - Spanbauer, Trisha

AU - Stefanoudis, Paris V.

AU - Sterner, Beckett W.

AU - Sudbrack, Vitor

AU - Tonkin, Jonathan D.

AU - Townes, Ashley R.

AU - Valle, Mireia

AU - Walter, Jonathan A.

AU - Wheeler, Kathryn I.

AU - Wieder, William R.

AU - Williams, David R.

AU - Winter, Marten

AU - Winterova, Barbora

AU - Woodall, Lucy C.

AU - Wymore, Adam S.

AU - Youngflesh, Casey

N1 - ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.

PY - 2023/1/11

Y1 - 2023/1/11

N2 - Abstract Synthesis research in ecology and environmental science improves understanding, advances theory, identifies research priorities, and supports management strategies by linking data, ideas, and tools. Accelerating environmental challenges increases the need to focus synthesis science on the most pressing questions. To leverage input from the broader research community, we convened a virtual workshop with participants from many countries and disciplines to examine how and where synthesis can address key questions and themes in ecology and environmental science in the coming decade. Seven priority research topics emerged: (1) diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), (2) human and natural systems, (3) actionable and use-inspired science, (4) scale, (5) generality, (6) complexity and resilience, and (7) predictability. Additionally, two issues regarding the general practice of synthesis emerged: the need for increased participant diversity and inclusive research practices; and increased and improved data flow, access, and skill-building. These topics and practices provide a strategic vision for future synthesis in ecology and environmental science.

AB - Abstract Synthesis research in ecology and environmental science improves understanding, advances theory, identifies research priorities, and supports management strategies by linking data, ideas, and tools. Accelerating environmental challenges increases the need to focus synthesis science on the most pressing questions. To leverage input from the broader research community, we convened a virtual workshop with participants from many countries and disciplines to examine how and where synthesis can address key questions and themes in ecology and environmental science in the coming decade. Seven priority research topics emerged: (1) diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), (2) human and natural systems, (3) actionable and use-inspired science, (4) scale, (5) generality, (6) complexity and resilience, and (7) predictability. Additionally, two issues regarding the general practice of synthesis emerged: the need for increased participant diversity and inclusive research practices; and increased and improved data flow, access, and skill-building. These topics and practices provide a strategic vision for future synthesis in ecology and environmental science.

KW - complexity

KW - coupled systems

KW - diversity

KW - ecological scale

KW - justice

KW - predictability

KW - use-inspired science

U2 - 10.1002/ecs2.4342

DO - 10.1002/ecs2.4342

M3 - Article

SN - 2150-8925

VL - 14

JO - Ecosphere

JF - Ecosphere

IS - 1

M1 - e4342

ER -

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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