biogeosciences institute & kananaskis field station - long version

What BGS has learned over our 66 years:

• As the name of our Institute suggests we have found that bringing together groups from diverse disciplines ignoring traditional bundling of researchers e.g. biological field stations, can prove to be a very innovative and practical approach to research and transfer of research knowledge.

• Research clusters which have central interdisciplinary model perform best e.g. NSF Critical Zone Observatories.

• Also we found that having a year-round facility in which researchers and educators can organize meetings and interact in both structure and informal settings synergizes collaboration and new ideas.

• Establishment of long-term data arrays and research sites e.g. research watersheds attract the best researchers from around the world.

• Technical support for instrument arrays and data transfer and archiving at recognized depositories.

With our long record of supporting research excellence we are an eager support with both facilities and personnel of a Mountain

Network of Center of Excellence.

The southern Canadian Rockies will be impacted in the coming decades by changing climate and perhaps as important by

increasing human use

Research clusters which might be useful to the NCE

• Invasive species in mountain environments. For example, we are currently being

invaded by earthworms which have a significant impact on native ecosystems! • Vegetation change and natural disturbance will become an increasing problem

with climate and human utilization of mountains. We need a better understanding of the processes involved.

• Hydrology and biogeochemistry have been significantly ignored in the Canadian

Rockies. Particularly below-ground processes. Although both have had significant studies- long-term research has been sporadic.

• Fluvial and hillslope geomorphology has been significantly ignored particularly

considering its importance in natural disturbances and in determining the template upon which most ecological and environmental processes occur.

• Human-use and occupation of the mountains still requires rigorous studies