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Grand Challenges in Environmental Sciences (2001) / Chapter Skim
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Recommended Immediate Research Investments
Pages 60-69

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From page 60...
... Applying the criteria outlined in Chapter 1, the committee judged four areas to have the highest priority for immediate research investment. These four areas represent actions that the NSF, preferably in cooperation with other relevant federal agencies, can begin to undertake immediately.
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From page 61...
... RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE RESEARCH INVESTMENT 1: BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING Recommendation: Develop a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between ecosystem structure and functioning and biological diversity. This initiative would include experiments, observations, and theory, and should have two interrelated foci: (a)
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From page 62...
... Moreover, since a substantial proportion of human habitation occurs in or near freshwater ecosystems, the potential for this effort to be informed by and to inform the recommended immediate research investment on hydrologic forecasting is particularly promising. Strong potential synergies also exist with recommended immediate research investment 3 on infectious disease, which directly addresses interactions between humans and the ecosystems they influence.
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From page 63...
... RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE RESEARCH INVESTMENT 2: HYDROLOGIC FORECASTING Recommendation: Establish the capacity for detailed, comprehensive hydrologic forecasting, including the ecological consequences of changing water regimes, in each of the primary U.S. climatological and hydrologic regions.
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From page 64...
... Other Key Issues It will be essential to forge and maintain links between the scientists who collect hydrologic information and develop forecasts and the users of those forecasts. RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE RESEARCH INVESTMENT 3: INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND THE ENVIRONMENT Recommendation: Develop a comprehensive ecological and evolutionary understanding of infectious diseases affecting human, plant, and animal health.
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From page 65...
... Data Needs The data needs in this research area include the following: · Enhanced surveillance of disease prevention and incidence in human and other target host populations · Development of a molecular/genetic taxonomy of responsive organisms . Sequencing of genomes of major pathogens Coordination with Other Environmental Science Research Coordination of this work with other efforts in environmental science should include the following specific linkages: .
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From page 66...
... RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE RESEARCH INVESTMENT 4: LAND-USE DYNAMICS Recommendation: Develop a spatially explicit understanding of changes in land uses and land covers and their consequences. This initiative is compelling because (1)
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From page 67...
... Other Key Issues cation. Support is needed for critical international data collection and data harmoniMOVING FORWARD Implementation of the above four recommended research investments should be facilitated by the recommendations of NSF's National Science Board (2000~.
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From page 68...
... Various approaches to this end should be considered, including training interdisciplinary scientists, encouraging environmental scientists to collaborate across disciplines, and strengthening interdisciplinary research communities. · Discussion of the usefulness and importance of regional approaches and integrated laboratories for advancing the specific area of research and, if considered important, recommendations on the appropriate institutional form for such laboratories.
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From page 69...
... Given these caveats, the committee estimates that each of the recommended immediate research investments would require several hundred million dollars (at a minimum) over a 10-year period, for a total investment of perhaps $1-2 billion for the four initiatives combined.
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Key Terms

  • immediate research
  • recommended immediate
  • biological diversity
  • ecosystem functioning
  • research investments

  • hydrologic forecasting
  • environmental science
  • grand challenges
  • climate variability
  • management institutions

  • native biota
  • committee judged
  • land covers
  • land cover
  • water regimes

  • environmental scientists
  • infectious disease
  • explicit understanding
  • species diversity
  • changing water

  • ecological consequences
  • spatially explicit
  • scales covered
  • central region
  • marine resources

  • affect hydrologic
  • hydrologic regimes
  • humid continental
  • greatly enhanced
  • habitat redesign


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