The Harvard Forest in central Massachusetts has been an active research facility for the study of forest ecosystems since 1907. The central theme of this project is a comparison, in the context of Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER), of historically important physical disturbances and recent and projected chemical disturbances in terms of their effect on forest ecosystem structure and function. One fundamental question is whether chronic, low-level additions of pollutants can result in more lasting alteration of ecosystem function than does a historical regime of more acute disturbance to which components of the system may be adapted. Four core experiments involve: 1) re-creation of physical types of disturbance, including catastrophic hurricane blowdown, smaller windthrows and selective mortality of overstory species, 2) simulation of chronic chemical disturbance by altering inputs of important nutrients or pollutants, 3) interactions between physical and chemical disturbances, and 4) repetition of treatments to assess the range of variation in organism and ecosystem response. Synthesis of the research will be achieved through the application of remote sensing, geographic information systems, and modelling. The integrated research group has a long history of interaction at the Harvard Forest and has expertise in physiological ecology, plant development, forest microbiology, paleoecology, ecosystem studies and atmospheric chemistry and experience with such research tools as remote sensing, geographic information systems, stable isotopes, ecosystem and atmospheric modelling, micrometerological techniques, and trace-gas measurement. The Harvard Forest research group will integrate the expertise of scientists from three participating institutions. The research site is an interesting one with good accessibility and excellent facilities. Institutional support for the LTER effort appears to be adequate. The research team is quite well qualified, led by a respected senior scientist and, for the most part, familiar with operating in a fashion conducive to the productive execution of a large, multi-disciplinary project. The Ecosystem Studies Programs enthusiastically recommends that funds be provided as a six-year continuing award to support the inclusion of the Harvard Forest Project in the national LTER network.
